Since the 1980s the UK went from having the lowest to one of the highest rates of poverty among elderly people in western Europe

Percentage of population aged 65 and over with an income of 40% of the median average or less

Mid-1980s

2007/08

0%

2

4

6

8

10

Spain

Switzerland

Belgium

UK

Ireland

Italy

Germany

France

Finland

Poland

Austria

Sweden

Luxembourg

Norway

Denmark

Netherlands