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Embargoed: 7 April 2009

One Voice report

Age Concern and Help the Aged, the UK’s two leading charities for older people, have come together to speak with one voice.

This report sets out our agenda for action.

Download One Voice: Shaping our ageing society

OLDER PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE GETTING WORSE, ACCORDING TO NEW CHARITY FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Older people feel their lives are getting worse according to a new report from leading older people's charity, Age Concern and Help the Aged(1). One in four UK older people (24 per cent), the equivalent of nearly 2.5 million individuals, admit their quality of life has deteriorated in the last 12 months, an additional 400,000 since the previous year. A further two thirds of people aged 65 and over (66 per cent) say their lives have not improved at all(2).

One Voice: Shaping our ageing society, a landmark report from the newly merged charity for older people, examines the issues facing older people in the UK: poverty, age discrimination, isolation and lack of care and support. Age Concern and Help the Aged is challenging the Government and all political parties to transform the ageing process by committing to ending pensioner poverty, banning all forms of age discrimination and ensuring older people can access better quality care and support.

The One Voice report tracks progress on issues over time. Four of the 30 indicators in the report had improved, 13 had worsened and 13 showed no change(3).

Key findings that have improved in the last year include:

• One in five people aged between 65 and 74 (19 per cent) are doing recommended levels of exercise. This has risen from 16 per cent.

Key findings that have worsened include:

• Three fifths of people aged 65 and over (60 per cent) believe older people suffer widespread age discrimination, including in the workplace.
• One in five pensioners (19 per cent), the equivalent of more than two million older people, live below the poverty line.

Key findings that have remained static over the last year include:

• Seven out of 10 people aged 65 and over (68 per cent) believe politicians see older people as a low priority. The charity is warning politicians that a similar percentage of people aged 55 and over voted in 2005 and this has implications for the approaching General Election(4).
• One in ten people aged 65 and over (11 per cent), the equivalent of more than one million older people, perceive themselves to be often or always lonely.

Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director for Age Concern and Help the Aged, says: "Loneliness, depression, poverty and neglect blight the lives of millions of older people and for many, evidence shows the situation is getting worse, not better. Attitudes to older people are stuck in the past, the care and support system for older people is on the brink of collapse and older people's experiences of isolation and exclusion have largely been ignored by successive Governments.

"Despite the economic conditions dominating the headlines, the current Government and all political parties must not shy away from addressing the long term challenges of an ageing society. Beneath the shocking statistics are real life human tragedies - avoiding the issues is no longer an option.

"But the public finances are not a bottomless pit and tough choices will have to be made. Adapting to an ageing society requires changes by businesses, society and individuals, as well as increased public investment.

"2009 has already started as a time of uncertainty, but in many ways it can be a year of opportunity for older people. Plans for a new government strategy on ageing, a Green Paper on social care reform and a looming General Election, could help deliver transformational change in the lives of older people. This year has the potential to break the pattern of older people living their lives in misery - what's needed is the political will to make it happen."

2008 saw some progress on older people's issues with the Government committing to a ban on age discrimination and preparing for a Green Paper to reform social care. The One Voice report sets out seven priorities for action in 2009 and calls on the Government:

• to outlaw mandatory retirement ages to ensure equal rights for older citizens;
• roll out automatic payment of benefits to ensure pensioners have enough money to make ends meet and reduce form-filling;
• spend an extra £1-2 billion on older people's social care as part of any fiscal stimulus;
• redirect the NHS to prevent and manage common conditions of ageing;
• create a national service to meet older people's wide range of needs;
• 'age-proof' employment and skills support to help older workers cope with recession;
• work towards a UN convention on the rights of older people.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Age Concern England and Help the Aged have joined together to form a single charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people.
2. ICM interviewed a random sample of 1000 people aged 65+ by telephone between 19th and 24th November 2008. Surveys were conducted across the UK and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults 65+. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
3. One Voice: Shaping our ageing society, Age Concern and Help the Aged, April 2009.
4. Election 2005: turnout. How many, who and why? Electoral Commission 2005. The turnout for ages 55-64 was 71%, for 65+ it was 75%.
5. Age Concern and Help the Aged is holding a major policy conference on 7th April at Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, London. The One Voice conference is aimed at those with an interest in public policy and the challenges and opportunities it will bring in 2009. For more information please contact georgina.ewen@ace.org.uk