Nearly 1m UK pensioners living in deprivation, official figures show

To measure deprivation levels, people over 65 were asked whether they had access to basic goods and services, including heating and electricity. Photograph: Libby Welch/Alamy

Nearly 1 million people aged over 66 in the UK are living in deprivation, according to government statistics, the highest number since comparable records began.

Labour, which analysed figures from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) records, has vowed to be the party for pensioners, with plans to insulate millions of homes and reduce energy bills. It has also “committed to retaining” the triple lock which guarantees annual rises to the state pension.