Pensioner mental health crisis engulfs Britain’s elderly as Labour accused of turning its back on those fighting to ‘survive’

Elderly people are said to be facing a “heartbreaking” crisis with their mental health following months of uncertainty over support from Labour.

Senior charity figures have told GB News that the Government has not been addressing the urgent needs of older individuals.

According to the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), around one in five people in later life experience depression.

What is even more concerning is that more than half of these cases are newly arising, meaning individuals are experiencing depression for the first time in their older years, with charity figures warning symptoms may be harder to spot.

“It’s less obvious because older people are generally less obvious,” director of Silver Voices Dennis Reed told GB News.

“They’re not going to work. They’re not necessarily socially interacting with a lot of people, apart from a few close friends and family members.

“So it’s not nearly so obvious. They’re more likely to be in their own home showing these symptoms.”

And, the numbers back it up. New research on depression by Bupa found 79 per cent of people aged 55 years old and above who are suffering from depression say the condition makes them feel like nothing will get better.

Meanwhile, 81 per cent said depression can be invisible and 70 per cent said they don’t think depression is understood.

Last year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that eligibility for energy bill support of up to £300 would be tied to certain benefits – such as Pension Credit.

After widespread backlash, all pensioner households with an annual income under £35,000 will be able to access the Winter Fuel Allowance.

Mr Reed added that the impact of the furore last year “shouldn’t be underestimated.”

He added: “A lot more older people were turned into poverty as a result of the winter fuel cuts last year, that money has not been the key.

“People are struggling with their bills. They’ve got into debt. They’ve had to take loans from family members or friends and so on in order to survive the winter.

“And that has obviously led to, particularly if people are already on the edge, of mental health issues, that I’m sure that funds a lot of people further into the habits.”

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Helen Whatley echoed Mr Reed, telling GB News: “Last winter I spoke to many pensioners who were incredibly worried about how they could afford to heat their homes.

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Helen Whatley said last winter ‘many pensioners who were incredibly worried about how they could afford to heat their homes’

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“The winter fuel payment cut created a huge amount of anxiety for older people as well as the hardship of coping in the cold.

“Families were worried too about how it would affect grans and grandads, and whether they might end up in hospital.”

Entertainment figures have suggested that older people are often “overlooked” in society.

Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club told a press conference ahead of the film’s premiere: “In our society, as you get older, you do become slightly more invisible, you do become slightly more underestimated.”

Mr Reed agreed, telling GB News: “You’re just left on your own, particularly for example, as is often the case, that you lost your partner or spouse, and you’re on your own for the first time, maybe for 60 years.

“It’s very heartbreaking situation, and it’s unsurprising in those circumstances, depression is rife amongst people living on their own.”

Concerns about government policy has also raised alarm among elderly people, especially surrounding the NHS.

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A poll earlier this year found 74 per cent of adults were “very” or “fairly” concerned about ambulance response times and 70 per cent are worried about the availability of GP appointments.

Around 77 per cent are “very” or “fairly” concerned about the availability of beds in their A&E, with 78 per cent anxious they may have to wait on a trolley in a corridor.

Meanwhile, Tom Gentry, Head of Health and Care Policy at Age UK, has warned that the Covid lockdowns could have had lasting effects on people’s mental health.

He told GB News that the charity runs annual surveys about the implication that services having to move online during the pandemic will have an effect.

“There was some initial improvement [in mental wellbeing] in the first years out of the pandemic, that kind of levelled off,” he said.

“Now, I think a lot of the implications are that it certainly hasn’t returned to pre pandemic levels when you think about kind of mental well being and getting supported.

“The use of online resources accelerated during Covid and continues now. I think many older people still feel very isolated in those instances.”

In response to loneliness among elderly people, the Liberal Democrats have called for further emphasis to be put on social care and the introduction of mental health check ups.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire,who called the situation ‘heartbreaking’

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Helen Morgan MP, the party’s health spokeswoman, told GB News: “It is truly heartbreaking to see figures like this, and behind every statistics is a person who is close to breaking point and struggling to cope. We cannot accept so many elderly people suffering in silence.

“It beggars belief that instead of backing charities and national organisations to tackle the mental health crisis, the Government has slashed vital suicide prevention funding, and thrown out key mental health targets.

“Our communities deserve so much better.

“The Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to introduce mental health check ups at key points in life, supporting many more elderly people in their darkest moments, and to restore the suicide prevention grant so that mental health services can keep saving lives.”

MP for Faversham and Mid Kent Helen Whatley said there was a huge amount of “anxiety” for older people”

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Despite Reeves’ U-turn on the winter fuel allowance, some charities have warned about the impact of the uncertainty around the policy.

Mr Gentry from Age UK told GB News: “I think the important thing to remember around that is that the concerns that ultimately have going into winter existed when that was available.

“I think it’s coming back has reassured a lot of people…we’re very pleased they did. Not entirely, reverse most of the worst parts of that decision.

“But I think the issues that come up around winter are kind of quite evergreen.”

A Government spokesman told GB News: “This Government is committed to supporting elderly people.

“Over nine million pensioners will have help with their fuel bills this winter, providing them with security and peace of mind.

“We are transforming adult social care to create a National Care Service and are taking immediate steps to support the sector, including a funding boost of more than £4billion.

“In addition, we’ve hired an additional 6,700 mental health workers and providing an extra £688million to transform mental health services, because everyone should have access to the mental health care they need, regardless of their age.”

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