Older people who live in deprived areas of the United Kingdom face an increased risk of social exclusion, says a study sponsored by the Economic & Social Research Council.
The study found that seven of 10 older people living it the most deprived areas are vulnerable to or experience some kind of social exclusion. Some of those people experience “multiple exclusions,” which means they may go without basic life necessities such as heating, new clothing, food and holidays, and are less involved in community life.
While it can happen to many different people, social exclusion seems to be more of a problem for certain ethnic minority groups — particularly older Somali and Pakistani people. The study found that about three-quarters of older Somali people and two-thirds of older Pakistani people lived in poverty.