Pensioners aged 75 and over have been harder hit by the effects of inflation than any other age group in the UK, new figures have shown.

Age UK Enterprises has found that UK adults aged 75 and over have seen their living costs for the past year rise by 3.39 per cent, while the population as a whole has experienced an increase of just 3.06 per cent.

The study, obtained by the Telegraph, claimed that elderly people experienced a higher level of inflation as they spend a larger proportion of their income on food and utilities - which have both risen sharply in price over the past year.

It follows the publication of official data which revealed that the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation fell to 2.8 per cent in May from three per cent in April.

Gordon Morris, the managing director of Age UK Enterprises, claimed that this slight easing of financial pressure is not being felt as much by those aged over 75.

He said: "This lack of parity is all the more resonant considering that there are 1.7 million current pensioners living in poverty.

"Part of the answer rests in making consumers aware of the options available to them to improve retirement income, especially when purchasing an annuity or reviewing the benefits they are eligible for."