The Age UK blog was set up to talk about political and policy issues that affect people in later life. Some of Age UK’s experts in various key areas will post their thoughts to try and make sense of the key decisions and issues that affect older people.
The Age UK blog was set up to talk about political and policy issues that affect people in later life. Some of Age UK’s experts in various key areas will post their thoughts to try and make sense of the key decisions and issues that affect older people.
Subject terms:
older people, blogs, charities, government policy;
This report is designed to encourage wider policy engagement with older residents on the management and future delivery of sheltered and retirement housing in England. It sets out issues for providers, commissioners, policymakers and central government, from a resident’s perspective. It seeks to support the development of a coherent, balanced national strategy on retirement housing, where older people have real influence. The panel of residents, who reviewed the situation for England, concluded that we need greater investment in affordable, attractive housing options – integrated with housing support services and in the right locations. The panel believes that progress towards this goal is being impeded by a range of factors, identified during the inquiry and set out in this report.
This report is designed to encourage wider policy engagement with older residents on the management and future delivery of sheltered and retirement housing in England. It sets out issues for providers, commissioners, policymakers and central government, from a resident’s perspective. It seeks to support the development of a coherent, balanced national strategy on retirement housing, where older people have real influence. The panel of residents, who reviewed the situation for England, concluded that we need greater investment in affordable, attractive housing options – integrated with housing support services and in the right locations. The panel believes that progress towards this goal is being impeded by a range of factors, identified during the inquiry and set out in this report.
Subject terms:
older people, retirement communities, sheltered housing, user views, government policy;
Policy report which examines why the Government's 'Work Programme' for the long term unemployed and people with a disability has failed the over 50s. It builds on a previous 2013 Age UK report and research conducted by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion to examines the performance of the Government's Work Programme for the long-term unemployed among its participants aged 50 and over. The report looks at why older participants get worse outcomes and what should be done to address the problem; the impact of disability and health on the employment of older people; and regional variations in performance – by geographical area and among providers. It concludes by making recommendations for the Work and Health Programme in order to improve job outcomes for people aged 50 and over. These include early referral to the scheme for jobseekers within ten years of their State Pension age; specialist initiatives for the over 50s; improved opportunities to re- and up-skill; and for the DWP to build a job brokerage service into its employment support delivery.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Policy report which examines why the Government's 'Work Programme' for the long term unemployed and people with a disability has failed the over 50s. It builds on a previous 2013 Age UK report and research conducted by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion to examines the performance of the Government's Work Programme for the long-term unemployed among its participants aged 50 and over. The report looks at why older participants get worse outcomes and what should be done to address the problem; the impact of disability and health on the employment of older people; and regional variations in performance – by geographical area and among providers. It concludes by making recommendations for the Work and Health Programme in order to improve job outcomes for people aged 50 and over. These include early referral to the scheme for jobseekers within ten years of their State Pension age; specialist initiatives for the over 50s; improved opportunities to re- and up-skill; and for the DWP to build a job brokerage service into its employment support delivery.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, unemployment, government policy, disabilities, long term conditions, intervention, outcomes;
Sets out Age UK's ambition for the next Parliament 2015-2020, advocating the development of key services, interventions and government policies to support the UK ageing population and outlining what the political parties need to focus on immediately. The key themes considered in this manifesto include: older people and wellbeing; safety at home; financial independence in later life; active communities; and quality health and care.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Sets out Age UK's ambition for the next Parliament 2015-2020, advocating the development of key services, interventions and government policies to support the UK ageing population and outlining what the political parties need to focus on immediately. The key themes considered in this manifesto include: older people and wellbeing; safety at home; financial independence in later life; active communities; and quality health and care.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, ageing, government policy, wellbeing, home safety, income, communities, participation, health care, social care;
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the social policies that are likely to be most beneficial to older people living in the Red Wall – the Midlands and North of England, which are traditionally viewed as safe for Labour and where the Conservative Party won a swathe of Parliamentary seats in the last General Election. The paper looks at the data concerning older people who live in these constituencies and sets out three key messages: 1) The NHS really matters – both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are lower than the national average and as a result, older people living in the Red Wall spend more years and a greater proportion of their life in poor health and managing disability; 2) Fixing social care is essential – across England only around half of older people who need help with essential day to day tasks get enough help but that figure drops markedly to just 33 per cent and 38 per cent respectively in the North East and North West; 3) The state pension and other forms of financial support for pensioners really matter, and they have less housing wealth – the fact that incomes in many parts of the Red Wall are lower than the national average holds true for pensioners as well as working age households. The paper also looks at the kinds of policies that might ‘fit’ with these three key messages so far as older people living in the Red Wall are concerned – and others with similar characteristics right across England.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the social policies that are likely to be most beneficial to older people living in the Red Wall – the Midlands and North of England, which are traditionally viewed as safe for Labour and where the Conservative Party won a swathe of Parliamentary seats in the last General Election. The paper looks at the data concerning older people who live in these constituencies and sets out three key messages: 1) The NHS really matters – both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are lower than the national average and as a result, older people living in the Red Wall spend more years and a greater proportion of their life in poor health and managing disability; 2) Fixing social care is essential – across England only around half of older people who need help with essential day to day tasks get enough help but that figure drops markedly to just 33 per cent and 38 per cent respectively in the North East and North West; 3) The state pension and other forms of financial support for pensioners really matter, and they have less housing wealth – the fact that incomes in many parts of the Red Wall are lower than the national average holds true for pensioners as well as working age households. The paper also looks at the kinds of policies that might ‘fit’ with these three key messages so far as older people living in the Red Wall are concerned – and others with similar characteristics right across England.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, policy, government policy, adult social care, health care, pensions, user views, access to services, inequalities, health inequalities, service development;
The third edition of this technical briefing sets out the key facts and figures on funding for social care. Since the previous edition in 2012, the Care Bill has addressed some of Age UK’s concerns about the framework for care and support of older people. From 2015/16, through the Better Care Fund (previously known as the Integration Transformation Fund), the Government has also committed to transferring £3.8 billion from the NHS for joint NHS and local authority funding of heath and care services. However, this transfer can only mitigate and not solve the reduced availability of services caused by real-term cuts in spending and the increase in demand from an increasing population of older people. Despite rising demand for social care services, the funding, and subsequent number of people in receipt of this care, is declining. Without substantial growth in overall funding, the Government’s aspiration to ‘transform the social care system to focus on prevention and the needs and goals of people requiring care’ cannot be achieved. An increased focus on substantial and critical needs risks leaves no public funding available for most of those who need ‘a little bit of help’ to remain active and independent.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The third edition of this technical briefing sets out the key facts and figures on funding for social care. Since the previous edition in 2012, the Care Bill has addressed some of Age UK’s concerns about the framework for care and support of older people. From 2015/16, through the Better Care Fund (previously known as the Integration Transformation Fund), the Government has also committed to transferring £3.8 billion from the NHS for joint NHS and local authority funding of heath and care services. However, this transfer can only mitigate and not solve the reduced availability of services caused by real-term cuts in spending and the increase in demand from an increasing population of older people. Despite rising demand for social care services, the funding, and subsequent number of people in receipt of this care, is declining. Without substantial growth in overall funding, the Government’s aspiration to ‘transform the social care system to focus on prevention and the needs and goals of people requiring care’ cannot be achieved. An increased focus on substantial and critical needs risks leaves no public funding available for most of those who need ‘a little bit of help’ to remain active and independent.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, long term care, local authorities, adult social care, social care provision, eligibility criteria, unmet need, care homes, cutbacks, financing, central government, government policy;