SCOTLAND'S retired population is struggling financially, with pensioners facing a combined personal debt of £8.81 billion.
Research from retirement income specialist MGM Advantage shows that the average retired Scot has £8890 of debt, compared with a UK average of £8180.
A total of 84,219 Scottish pensioners (8%) have debts of more than £25,000; 65,540 owe in excess of £50,000; and 9368 have debts of more than £100,000.
A spokesman for Age Scotland said: "Carrying a large amount of personal debt into retirement can cause enormous stress.
"With basic living costs such as food and energy still high and April's pension increase barely keeping up with inflation, it's no surprise that many older people are struggling.
"A reluctance to talk about money often leaves pensioners cutting back on essentials and missing out on extra income. Around 38% of those eligible don't claim pension credit."
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) added that debt is particularly worrying for older people as they often have very limited income.
Susan McPhee, CAS head of policy, said: "It's very important that people know that help is available. No matter how bad things look, there is always some kind of route you can follow to manage their debt. CAB advisers are skilled at finding the right solution for each case and the service is completely free."
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