Thirty-six percent of Australians over the age of 65 live below the poverty line, according to the OECD’s Pensions at a Glance 2015 report. The figure is three times higher than the OECD average.

Pensioners who don’t have access to other income have no choice but to live in poverty in this country, because the age pension is under the poverty line, defined as half the median wage.

Women’s longer life expectancy and the gender pay gap greatly disadvantage them. The Association of Super Funds of Australia says that, on average, women retire with half the superannuation balance of men.

Some of these women are becoming homeless for the first time in their lives. Social service organisation Anglicare noted last year that “older single women represent the changing face of homelessness”.

The Global AgeWatch Index found similarly high numbers of impoverished pensioners in Australia. It rated Australia 62nd for income security – between Moldova and Montenegro.

As both life expectancy and the cost of living continue to rise, the population of older people living in poverty is expected to increase even further.