ALONE’s annual survey found nearly 50% of older people interviewed had difficulty paying their bills 

Dublin 17th July ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home, is looking for the Government to deliver a Budget that will protect and support all older people in Ireland. This year Budget Day falls on October 1, which is also International Older Person Day. 

ALONE supported over 37,000 older in 2023. Of those that we assessed, 30% indicated that they had issues with Finance. Among them, 2 out of 5 people had issues with utilities, 1 in 3 people had issues with benefits, and just under 1 in 5 had issues with entitlements.

As an organisation ALONE provides at least 45,000 supports to older people across Ireland. This has increased almost 20% from 2023, and the need is continuing to rise.  

With more than one in seven of our population now over 65 years, older people continue to be affected by cost-of-living increases. Those living alone have been affected the most. 30% of those assessed last year by ALONE had financial issues. 40% of those were with utilities like gas and electricity while housing issues were 32% of the needs assessed in 2023. One in 3 people had issues with their entitlements.  

ALONE’s annual survey of older people confirms this evidence. It found that nearly 50% of people had difficulty paying their bills. Almost 70% said that their standard of living had been impacted by rising prices, one in 4 of these said they were severely impacted. The areas of highest concern for older people were energy/heating, food prices, household maintenance and healthcare care costs. 

ALONE made submissions for further investment in funding a Loneliness strategy, Home Care provision, Housing for older people, Energy Poverty measures and to establish and fund an Office for a Commissioner for Older People. 

ALONE CEO Sean Moynihan said “It’s to be celebrated that we are living longer and our older population increasing is proven to bring many benefits to the Irish economy in the coming years, but we must invest in the policies that make it a society where ageing at home is comfortable, enjoyable and better for your health. These policies we have identified through our work with older people across Ireland and by looking internationally for best practices. It is imperative that we invest now in an ageing population.” 

He continued, “We have staff in all 96 Community Health Networks across Ireland and we are witnessing increasing calls to our service relating to financial issues with those who live alone are most impacted. Were it not for the once-off cost of living payments, more than one third of older people living alone would have been at risk of poverty in 2023. The once-off payments helped to support older people, and their poverty rate halved, this proves it can be done. The cost-of-living payments must now be built into standard welfare payments. It might seem like a small thing to some but the cost of tea, milk and sugar have risen nearly 25% in the last few years, according to the CSO. Could you imagine living on a low fixed income while prices increase all around you?” 

 ALONE’s full submission can be found here –Pre-Budget Submission 2025