Precarious Lives: Financial & material hardship among older LGBTQ+ Londoners

What’s this?

London has a large population of older LGBTQ+ people. But research of this population group has been very limited.

This report from Tonic Housing, funded by Trust for London, uses a literature review, survey and focus groups to shine a light on a hidden population of older LGBTQ+ Londoners suffering financial and material hardship.

Key findings

The research finds that a substantial number of older LGBTQ+ individuals in London experience significant financial and material difficulties. It argues that this is due to a combination of four factors:

Discrimination

• A lifetime of discrimination can impact the opportunities that someone has to earn and save, and have long-term impacts on their financial wellbeing.
• The experience of discrimination – and its associated disadvantage – is worse for particular groups, including LGBTQ+ people of colour, LGBTQ+ Disabled people, and trans and nonbinary people

Isolation

• LGBTQ+ people are more prone to isolation as they age
• Isolation means that people are less likely to receive help from social networks, including financial help; and they are less likely to access other sources of help that may be available to them, including benefits
• 64% of respondents were living alone - and these respondents were much more likely to be experiencing hardship

Long-term health conditions

• The report looks at the high levels of disability among older LGBTQ+ people
• 60% of respondents were disabled
• They were twice as likely to be finding it ‘very’ difficult to manage financially than non-disabled respondents (56% vs 26%)

Financial stress

• 34% of respondents had an annual household income of less than £15,000, which is below the Minimum Income Standard for London
• Renters were three times more likely to be finding it difficult to manage financially than homeowners (62% vs 19%)

Recommendations

The report sets out recommendations for a London-wide community-led strategic action plan to address these issues. It envisages a community-led plan that:

• Addresses hardship and social exclusion among older LGBTQ+ Londoners.
• Reaches those in need by looking at interventions for those facing the most acute discrimination and disadvantage.
• Raises awareness of these issues among LGBTQ+ individuals, media, and community organisations.
• Encourages collaboration between LGBTQ+ community organisations, local authorities in London and the Mayor.
• Encourages partnerships between LGBTQ+ community organisations and older people's charities.
• Identifies funding required to implement the agreed-upon actions.