Experiences of poverty in later life - People from minoritised ethnic communities
Published on 1 January, 2024.
While people in later life are becoming more ethnically diverse, people from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities are more likely to experience poverty in later life, reflecting the long-standing discrimination that many have faced. The older people that make up Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities in the UK are diverse and unique. Many of the challenges they face around financial hardship are similar to those of different ethnic backgrounds, including White British people – for example, experiencing a bereavement can push people from any background into poverty. . However, there are some distinctive factors that are more likely to affect people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and exacerbate their financial situation. In this briefing, we explore and focus on some of these, based primarily on conversations with organisations supporting older people from different minoritised communities. We recognise that we are only scratching the surface of deep-seated, long-standing issues of discrimination and inequality, and will continue to grow our understanding of these issues. To understand the reasons for financial hardship and possible solutions that would benefit older people from minoritised ethnic communities, we conducted 15 interviews. These were with a mixture of individuals sharing their personal experiences and views and community organisations, some of which have received grant funding from Independent Age. These organisations provide practical support to older people from diverse backgrounds, including South Asian, Caribbean, Chinese and sub-Saharan African.