State pension isn't enough to live on and leaves many struggling - poll results

11 March 2024 , 11:31

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Rob Trewhella, from Cornwall, says all the money he gets through his state pension is spent on his rent, council tax and electricity - forcing him to take a job as a taxi driver to survive. (Image: Getty)

The state pension is not enough to live on - leaving many pensioners struggling to make ends meet, say Mirror readers.

They were speaking out after we revealed a pensioner from Cornwall was forced to take a job as a taxi driver after being left with just £6 a month to live on. Rob Trewhella, from Penzance, said he was unable to survive on his State Pension alone. The 67-year-old pensioner says out of his state pension of £814 a month he has to pay private rent of £675 a month, council tax of £104 and electricity of around £40.

He said: “It’s just a tiny flat with electric storage heaters so if I don’t turn the heating on and keep it down to £30 a month, I’m left with £6. I have to be frugal. I’ll do a batch of cooking to not use the oven too much. I keep the lights off. Two of the bulbs have gone and I just leave it like that with one bulb working.

“If I feel cold, I will not put the heating on. I’ve got a smart metre here and I watch it ticking over. When you put a microwave on the light turns red and it just piles on. I put an extra layer on when I’m a bit chilly. If I go shopping, I’ve never done this before. I’m now looking for the bargains.

“There used to be a time when I would buy myself a nice new pair of Levis. Now I buy all my clothes from Tesco or Sainsburys or a Chinese company online which is cheap. I’ve got a coat that I wear in colder months and I’ve had that for 11 years. I’m terrified and I know many people are in the same boat.”

Warning as millions on Universal Credit could miss out on hundreds of pounds

To survive he went back to work and now drives for more than 25 hours a week for £250. Rob, a former tree surgeon and butcher, is fuming now his pension is going to be taxed. “Why is it that I started work at 18 when I left college and I have been paying tax and national insurance all my working life. Now I’m at a point where I’m having to work to enhance my state pension and I’ve been bloody taxed? The state pension should be totally protected, that should be the money you paid in all your working life.

We asked readers if they felt the state pension was enough to live on, with just 45 saying yes it was, and 1,267 saying no it wasn't. Hundreds of you commented on our original story, here's just a selection of what some of you had to say:

'It’s hard living on basic state pension'

Lozza06: "I know a number of pensioners who have had to find work to pay the bills, especially those on the lower pension. I am lucky I have a works pension to top mine up. I am so glad I was persuaded to start one in my late 20s. Now I instil into my children and my grandchildren to make sure they have a works pension. But this is okay if you have work. Keep a capitalist government in power and these may only be the pensions you can get ... or you will be too old to care."

Davebrad said: "An all too common story sadly, and not just here (eurostat published) - "In 2022, 95.3 million people in the EU (22% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, i.e. lived in households experiencing at least one of the three poverty and social exclusion risks: risk of poverty, severe material and social deprivation, and/or living in a household with very low work intensity." 95.3m!"

Soltrader: "This country probably needs a revolution."

Renta: "Yep Tory Britain ... work all your life and try to exist on a measly pension while they give billions to foreign war or HS2 - a money pit. They want us to croak so we never get our pension. It’s why they put the pension age up, while they pack up at 50."

Mrs Ted: "The problem for many pensioners, and those soon to be one, is that the world suddenly started to move too fast. No one could have foreseen how much rent, food and inflation generally would rise to such shockingly high levels, so quickly. All very well to blame the individuals but Workplace Pensions were only introduced in 2012 and took years to trickle down to the smaller employers. Many firms still don't have a scheme. For those on low paid jobs, self employed or seasonal work paying into a private pension was usually unaffordable. Pensioners are barred from receiving many of the benefits that non-pensioners can claim. Pension Credits cannot be claimed if your income is more than £201 a week (your state pension is just over £201 a week!)."

Xbyker: "A lot of people think the state pension is a nice bit of money for them when they retire, it's not enough to live a carefree life of dining out and holidays - and if they haven't planned ahead with a private pension it's a hard slog."

Blueandy: "This is why I nagged my son constantly about taking advantage of a company pension and taking out a private pension as well when he started working. You cannot expect to have any lifestyle in retirement if you rely solely on the State Pension."

Jcbdigger: "I’m 71 and only gave up work last July due to health issues. It’s hard living on basic state pension. They pay just enough to take you £1 over the limit so you can’t clam pension credits."