Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

 

[susanneG]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

The age pension is definitely not enough to live on. The cost of living has increased far more than the petty increases in the pension. An age pensioner has paid taxes all their working life and why aren’t they looked after after they retire. In my opinion it shouldn’t matter if they want to work a few hours but it’s a disgrace that they are penalised by reducing their pension because of it. If the pension was in line with the wage structure they wouldn’t have to find extra income.

 

[Judy_mcloughlin15]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses

The age pension is definitely not enough to live on. The cost of living has increased far more than the petty increases in the pension. An age pensioner has paid taxes all their working life and why aren’t they looked after after they retire. In my opinion it shouldn’t matter if they want to work a few hours but it’s a disgrace that they are penalised by reducing their pension because of it. If the pension was in line with the wage structure they wouldn’t have to find extra income.

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

The age pension is inadequate to cover our basic fortnightly living expenses as we are not being paid enough and forced to live on the poverty line and we are being forgotten about and we have done more than enough through our working years so how about looking after us pensioners in our elderly years well what we have left.

 

[Donk]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

Wife and I have serious health issues. Yes, worked all our lives, till we were put on the disability pension. Over 50 you pay for MRIs, unless a specialist requests them. Point being the medical expenses have left us with enough to cover a single bare basic cremation. Which unfortunately is in the not to distant future. My dear wife has 3 tumours in her head. Local hospital head dr told us the other hospital has better equipment, more experienced staff. Sounds promising. One visit. Yes it is cancer, so go back to your referring hospital. Watching your wife struggle to remember her name, stop breathing during the night. She uses a silicone fitting in her nose at night to open her nose to assist with breathing. Medical bills have to be paid, before you get access to the person behind the door. Travel costs, medication, we own and live in our own caravan. Renting is not an option. Never thought I would be asking food banks for their services.

 

[Singomate]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

I feel this Ladies pain, can we as a group, help her, maybe a new dress or shopping voucher, so she can retain some dignity. If someone is willing to organize, maybe one of our great moderators. I will kick off with $5.00 not much but only get a hundred a week pension.

 

[Ronloby]

It's OK for Sc-Mo and his mates to live on $150,000 a year or more. So why care about the pensioners who have given many years work and taxes living on $30,00 a year. The whole system is a BIG joke.

 

[Ricci]

Having worked all my adult life I now baulk at the idea that I may have to go back to work in order to survive. It shouldn't be so. There is not an employer out there that would willingly give me the time off to attend all the medical appointments I need to anyway. It's not our fault that we have ben priced out of so many markets, including the grocery market. While I appreciated the $250 one off payment I have no idea where it went, it just disappeared into the black hole that is my financial situation.

 

[Janbee]

The old age pension has never been sufficient, now with rising cost of living it fails miserably to allow elderly Australians to live with dignity. Successive Governments do not care, pensioners do not pay income tax, only those in the full time work force are considered worthy of consideration during these really tough times. Sadly all the years of working and paying their share of taxes does not seem to come into the equation when pension levels are fixed.

 

[Corry B]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

Pensioners should be able to work to fill in all the empty jobs going. Then they can live as well as everyone else. Why not??????

 

[Lorraine Rea]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

I am a retired nurse having worked in the UK and here all of my life. I get a pension from the UK which has never changed but then it is taken off my pension here. I am "lucky" that I have savings from my late husbands super and mine but find I am increasingly now dipping into them for everyday items. Does not seem fair that you work all your life to relax in retirement then find that you are worried about the future. I am in a health fund and find that as that has increased along with everything else maybe better to opt out of it?

 

[Annna]

Rising costs of living push many pensioners into poverty: "I'm not sure I will survive"​

Pensioners in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their living conditions as a result of the country's rapidly rising cost of living.

Pat Isaacs, who is 78 years old and hails from Orange in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, is living in a state of perpetual anxiety as a result of rising daily expenses.

She does not have any investments or superannuation funds to her name and is solely supported by her Age Pension.

​

"I was doing okay really until everything increased in price so much," Pat told 9News. She added that she doesn't even eat meat or buy new clothes anymore, seeing that she can no longer afford them.

As the prices of groceries continue to rise, so do her out-of-pocket medical bills.

The cost of living continues to rise on a monthly basis, yet there has been no increase in the pension.

She can only rely on her retirement income and a meagre savings account, both of which she has to delve into in order to maintain her quality of living.

"I'm not sure how well I will survive at 78 and plan to be around a while longer to enjoy my family," she cried out.

Pat Isaacs is one of about 1.5 million Australians who only rely on the Age Pension. Credit: 9News.​

It is estimated that 1.5 million older Australians rely on the age pension as their primary source of income, which corresponds to slightly more than $900 per fortnight for singles or slightly less than $25,000 per year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that numerous retirees have experienced the largest yearly increase in living expenses in the past 16 years.

Due to embarrassment or to avoid feeling like a burden, many individuals with financial difficulties do not notify their families.

​

Ian Henschke asserts that the government is ignoring pensioners and that they have been "barely featured" in an election campaign that has almost exclusively centred on the cost of living.

"We've got pensioners living in poverty and they are out of sight, out of mind," Henschke, the Chief Advocate for National Seniors, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for better outcomes for older Australians, told 9News.

"And no one is caring about it. The age pension is not adequate to provide for all Australians," he added.

"We've got roughly one in four older Australians living in poverty. And the fastest-growing are single women who are renting."

National Seniors' Ian Henschke thinks retirees should earn more before losing benefits. Credit: 9News.
​

Under the existing guidelines, a single retiree can earn up to $180 every two weeks, or just $90 per week, without having their pension reduced.

Under the Age Pension income test, a person's age pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of income earned beyond $180 per fortnight.

A recent "Work Bonus" was also implemented, in which pensioners receive the first $300 of their biweekly wages to reduce their eligible income.

​

Henschke argues that fundamentally, pensioners are not being paid enough and when they work to cover their expenses and contribute to the economy, they're being unfairly penalised.

He says that if pensioners were allowed to work without having their pensions cut, their combined efforts would probably bring in more income tax and give Australia's economy a bigger boost than the money the government would save by cutting their pensions.

"Don't penny-pinch off the pensioners. Change the taxation system," he said.

What are your thoughts, folks? Is the age pension inadequate to cover your basic living expenses?

Age Pension is unfair.

1. The amount paid is too low for those who qualify to get it.

2. There are strict conditions designed to deny older Australians a Pension income after they have finished work.

3. People who have worked, scrimped and saved for 40 years+ who end up with assets over 800k are denied an Age Pension.

4. Thousands of the people who come in to the category noted in 3 above SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE AGE PENSION because they worked and made conscious decisions over those 40+ years to save money instead of going on holidays and spending more. These people paid taxes for the 40+ years and the taxes helped run the country.

5. Now however, they are penalised because they had the temerity to save their money. Now, the government says 'you don't qualify, you have assets NO AGE PENSION FOR YOU.'

Shame on the Australian government, regardless of which party is in power because this doesn't change.

 

[joshram]

Pensioners should be able to work to fill in all the empty jobs going. Then they can live as well as everyone else. Why not??????

Possibly because they have a lot of medical appointments. Just listen to a group of pensioners talking - its all about their medical conditions. My husband and I are relatively well for our age but we have countless medical appointments.

 

[JayKay]

I also have multiple, on-going, complex medical appointments, so working for a bit extra is not possible. If it's not bulk-billed, I don't do it.
I am also paying off a huge Family Court debt....nearly 1/3 of my pension goes to this debt.
I have about another 7 years until it's paid off.
I have to be very frugal to survive.
I still try to see the sun shine each day...to see the best in life.

 

[Xe]

The cost of living really is so unmanageable for absolutely everyone. But i can only imagine how bad things are for pensioners since they started preparing for retirement decades ago and couldn't possibly have imagined that it would get this bad. It's heartbreaking and it seems like it's just going to get worse.

 

[Panred]

I am a retired nurse having worked in the UK and here all of my life. I get a pension from the UK which has never changed but then it is taken off my pension here. I am "lucky" that I have savings from my late husbands super and mine but find I am increasingly now dipping into them for everyday items. Does not seem fair that you work all your life to relax in retirement then find that you are worried about the future. I am in a health fund and find that as that has increased along with everything else maybe better to opt out of it?

If you live in Qld I wouldn’t opt out of private health insurance. The Public Health situation here is out of control. Forget elective surgery as it can be years till you “get the call”. We are barely holding our extras in private health and when they increase it again we will probably have to drop them and just keep hospital cover.

 

[Mervyn]

Its A jokeI

 

[Thecheesequeen]

My husband and I manage very well on our pension, and are even able to have savings. However, we don’t have rent or a mortgage to pay, and have few health problems. I really don’t know how pensioners manage when they have to pay rent.

 

[Esma Rose]

Here is my TRUTHFUL run up of how (SO FAR) I have conrolled my pension. I hope I can help others with my coming to the fore. As teenagers in various jobs many of us did not think of pensions in old age as we were beginning to spread our wings. Right? I had a wonderful Mum who taught me to start budgeting & she instilled it into me that I had to save a percentage weekly. I simply followed her advice as she had been through a depression & domestic economy was ever present. Those were the days when that generation REALLY hurt because "cars" were not essential. Bread & butter on the plate WAS. You were lucky to have an enamel bath when the norm was a tin one. Same water for each member of the household with water from the copper to "top up." Being the last one to bathe!!!!! I am now making comparisons.
WW2 presented itself. I was nearly 17 when Mum taught me all about "When I could be concerned about pensions because of what SHE had been taught in the past." I was still unconvinced being young & headstrong but I LISTENED to her advice. WW2 taught many lessons. We had coupons to buy the few clothes which I will always remember. When 40 gave you an overcoat it ripped everything else off you. 2 for a pillowslip plus more for a sheet & all was gone. We quickly found the Black Market to buy a white blanket that cost us NO coupons & turned it into an overcoat whoever could fortunately sew. After the War we dyed them for another colour to wear. Budgeting kept the money rolling along. And so and so. We all know the rest. Today we live in another world. We now have wriggled out of "making do" of nothing. Look @ the "wanting" area for eg. "I" am SO guilty wanting a gadget that is quicker, easier & gives me more time to squander on other things AND Mum had one DRAWER for her culinary
chores..........
Today with progress forever with us, bad habits have formed. You cannot afford to be sick. No One. The pills etc are astronomical to the urgent pensioners who, through no fault of "our own" must rely on them. I MUST make it aware that the P.E.T. Scan is only available to the hospitals who get them through donations from their public. It would save many thousands of dollars for pensioners who have the need to be scanned for various cancers to not have to travel so far to a hospital OUT of their own area. They are charged for the use. THAT is disgusting. I live in "Eastern Health" District where a Doctor is so strong enough to have started last Christmas for donations. NOT even the Gov't cares, but she DOES. $2.2 million is such an expense but she has now banked in excess of half of the cost. It is SO urgent in a large area, YES< we do need more high pension rates. Mr Prime Minister, put your money in the right areas. YOU still need to learn that "Time waits for none of us. GET IT RIGHT." This is TODAY, and NOT YESTERDAY. The load is on your shoulders being paid to do a job for which we all vote for. It is NO disgrace if you feel you cannot do it, be honest and say so. "Honesty" always turns out to be the BEST POLICY for us all.

 

[Jennylolo]

and super wasn't available for women for a long time and so this has meant no money to retire on as well. 25K is under the poverty line. Politicians, for one, need to try and manage on even 45k and see how they cope, let alone 25K for a single. Let us pick up odd jobs with no penalty and that will also solve problems where no-one will take on the menial jobs.

 

[DrivingGirl]

I feel this Ladies pain, can we as a group, help her, maybe a new dress or shopping voucher, so she can retain some dignity. If someone is willing to organize, maybe one of our great moderators. I will kick off with $5.00 not much but only get a hundred a week pension.

Fantastic idea