Pensioners in Ireland should not be forced to choose between paying for medicine that they need and keeping their heat on, a leading charity has insisted.

Age Action, which promotes positive ageing and better policies and services for older people, is calling for the first increase in the State pension since 2009.

As part of its pre-budget submission for Budget 2016, it also wants to see more funding made available for home help services and home care packages.

"Since 2009, an older person depending on the State pension and the Household Benefits package has seen their income cut by more than €13 a week. They're struggling to pay new taxes along with rising fuel and health costs. Pensioners in this country should not be forced to choose between paying for medicine and keeping the heat on," commented Justin Moran of Age Action.

The charity wants to see an increase of €5 per week to the State pension, as well as an increase in the Living Alone allowance of €2.40 per week. The Living Alone allowance is an extra payment made to older people on social welfare payments who are living alone.

It is also calling for the restoration of the Telephone Allowance over the next two budgets, an additional €26 million for home help services and an additional €7 million to pay for 550 home care packages.

The charity highlighted the fact that since 2009, there has been a big reduction in home help hours and a 44% increase in the number of older people in nursing homes who are categorised as ‘low dependency' by the HSE.

"More home and community supports would enable many of these people to stay at home longer. That's a better outcome for older people, it's in line with Government policy and it would help to reduce the cost of the Nursing Home Support Scheme," Mr Moran said

He pointed out that older people have ‘spent a lifetime building this country and they shouldered their share of the burden of austerity'.

"As the economy returns to growth, they have a legitimate expectation that the sacrifices they made will be acknowledged. After years of cuts to income supports for older people, next month's budget is an opportunity to restore value to a stagnant State Pension and to reverse cuts to vital income supports like the Telephone Allowance," he added.

Budget 2016 will be announced on Tuesday, October 13.