PENSIONERS from black and Asian communities are twice as likely to be living in poverty as white pensioners, a charity has found. 

Thirty-three per cent of Asian and 30 per cent of black pensioners are living below the breadline, compared with just 16 per cent of white pensioners, according to research by Age UK.

The charity also found that 1.2 million women — one in five female pensioners — are living in relative poverty, a jump of 20 per cent since 2012-13. 

Age UK said its analysis supports the case for reactivating the pensions triple lock in 2023. The policy guarantees that the state pension will increase in line with whichever is the highest of inflation, earnings or 2.5 per cent.

But ministers have discarded the earnings element for 2022-23, breaking their manifesto promise. The change is due to be debated in Parliament this week. 

Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams said: “There may have been reason to suspend it for one year because of the distortions caused by the pandemic, but if we’re to have any hope of reducing the level of pensioner poverty in our society, the triple lock must come back into force again in 12 months’ time.”