Age UK responds to the latest inflation figures showing the cost of living has gone up 10.1% in the past year

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “The rising rate of inflation announced today only strengthens the case for reinstating the triple lock which, let’s not forget, was introduced to protect pensioners from the kind of hardship that many are facing now, and that even more will face over the next few months. With the cost of food and energy soaring, and the universal Energy Price Guarantee set to end in April, pensioners on low and modest incomes are confronting the fact that basic goods and services are increasingly beyond their means. They are looking ahead to the winter with great fear as a result. We have already heard from older people who are risking their health by switching off essential medical equipment, lights, heating and fridges – none of them luxuries - because they worry worse is to come.

"If the Prime Minister decides to break her triple lock promise it would be devastating for the millions of older people who rely on the State Pension, which is only worth about £9,000 a year on average anyway, as their main source of income. Knowing their State Pension would keep pace with rising prices because of the triple lock has given precious hope to many older people at a time of great anxiety; for the Government to take that away from them now would be a hammer blow, as well as a flagrant breach of trust."