CSO Study on Income and Living Condition of the Elderly Published

The Central Statistics Office of Ireland (CSO) have published their Survey on Income and Living Condition of the Elderly (SILC). The report covers they years 2004, 2009 and 2010. It focuses on the income and living conditions of those aged over 65. The study covers the composition of the elderly cohort, the level of weekly

The report shows that between 2004 and 2010 the average gross weekly income rose from €289.05 to €403.23, however 2010 saw a drop income of 6% from 2009. The at risk of poverty rate dropped from 27.1% in 2004 to 9.6% in both 2009 and 2010. Deprivation (the lack or denial of what is considered necessary) rate remain level at around 10% in each of the year with slight drops in 2009 and 2010. A large drop was seen in the Poverty rate from 3.9% in 2004 to 0.9% in 2010.

The portion of weekly income from Earnings fell from 24.1% in 2004 to 12.7% in 2010, while the portion of weekly income from the state rose from 56.8% in 2004 to 63.4% in 2010.

The Elderly in 2010

In 2010 55% of the elderly were female. 7% described themselves as "at work" and just 7% had a third level qualification.

56% described themselves as married. 88% owned their own home, over 30% lived alone with 55% living in an urban area.

56% said that the lived with a chronic illness, with 7% saying they had bad to very bad health. 43% were covered by private medical insurance. 45% said they were in good health.

Changes between the years

In 2004 66.4% had only attained a primary level of education "primary or below", 2010 saw this being significantly lower at over 53%.

Proportion of those saying they were married rose to 55.6% in 2010 from 46.7% in 2004.

The elderly choose to take up more private health insurance then in 2004 - at just 33.5% - by 2010 this had grown to 43%.