That in incorrect. 55% of the social security spend (£165.9 billion) goes on benefits to people of pension age, but only £137.5 billion goes on state pension - the rest is benfits paid because people on the age group are poor and entitled to other benefits like pension credit. In the same period £137.4 billion (in other words, almost the same amount as the pension) goes to benefits for people who are of working age and children. Those figures do not include benefits for the disabled and those with long term health conditions, or housing benefit. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-information-and-guidance/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-information-and-guidance#:~:text=Social%20security%20spending%20in%20Great%20Britain,-In%202024%20to&text=Total%20GB%20welfare%20spending%20is,benefits%20for%20pensioners%20in%20GB%20.
It's obviously been a very long time since you looked up the figures - or perhaps you never looked them up, and just made them up?
There is also one fairly significant difference between the two groups as well. The vast majority of those in receipt of pensions have worked hard all their lives and paid taxes to support the welfare state; and the majority of those with a private pension continue to pay taxes to support the welfare state. On the other hand a significant number of those of working age (8.2% according to the last census) have never worked. That comprises nearly 19% of the total unemployed. Nearly 55% of unemployed adults had not worked for more than a year.
I am not interested in bashing those who claim benefits to which they are entitled, and nor do I want to see benefits cut. But it is unsustainable to have a significant number of people of working age who are either out of work, have never worked, or are so low paid that they continue to claim state benefits.
The answer is not to pit groups of people against each other in a race to the bottom. We do need to address the complexities of low income and worklessness - and like it or not that also means addressing the small number of people who simply will not work. But suggesting that older people's entitlements are untouchable for no other reason than because they vote is inappropriate. Older peoples entitlements should be untouchable because we believe in people having decent living conditions after a lifetime of work.