Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 11
Benefit take-up and older people
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 10
- Place of publication:
- London
This paper sets out the latest figures on older people’s benefit take-up, looks at reasons for non-take up, and ways to address this problem. Key points; nearly a million pensioner households are entitled to, but not receiving, Pension Credit and 200,000 households are missing out on help with rent through Housing Benefit. In a single year £2.2 billion of these two benefits goes unclaimed; there are a range of inter-related reasons why people do not claim their entitlements including lack of awareness, an assumption that they would not be entitled to help, a concern that the process will be complicated, a reluctance to provide personal information, and negative attitudes about receiving benefits or asking for help; people may claim support after a change in circumstances or due to encouragement from friends, family, professionals, or advice organisations; ongoing publicity is needed, but it is also important that information is taken out to places where people are and that those in contact with older people, such as trusted health professionals, help identify those in need, encourage them to check entitlements, and refer them to appropriate support; information and advice services need the resources to provide benefit checks and to give people practical help with the process of claiming where necessary; the Government should do more to ensure that people receive their entitlements through ongoing national publicity and by exploring ways to improve the systems; ideally people would not need to rely on means-tested benefits to top up their income. However, currently they provide vital support for nearly a quarter of pensioner households, and more needs to be done to reach those who are missing out on support due. (Edited publisher abstract)
The effectiveness of social protection for long-term care in old age: is social protection reducing the risk of poverty associated with care needs?
- Authors:
- HASHIGUCHI Tiago Cravo Oliveira, LLENA-NOZAL Ana
- Publisher:
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 120
- Place of publication:
- Paris
As people grow old and their health deteriorates, they are likely to require help with everyday activities that were once second nature; they need what is commonly termed long-term care (LTC). With demand for LTC in old age expected to grow, OECD countries face significant challenges in balancing financial sustainability with the provision of effective social protection against the financial risks associated with developing LTC needs – the cost of care can far exceed median incomes and its duration can be many years. This report provides a novel set of comprehensive and internationally comparable estimates of the adequacy, equity and efficiency of public social protection systems for LTC in old age in OECD countries and EU Member States. Using a set of “typical cases” of LTC need to ensure comparability, including different levels of severity and different ways in which needs can be met, this report shows cross-country and regional variations in the total costs of LTC services, the degree of public coverage, the out-of-pocket costs that care recipients face, and the associated poverty risks. The quantitative results are discussed in the context of how different countries design LTC benefits and schemes, including cost-sharing mechanisms. Finally, to illustrate the policy relevance of the analyses, the distributive effects of actual and hypothetical policy scenarios are simulated, including an international free personal care policy, and possible reforms in Ireland and England. (Edited publisher abstract)
Breeding poverty?
- Author:
- INMAN Kendra
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 29.10.98, 1998, p.10.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
The gap between rich and poor has been steadily growing over the last decade with three in ten children now living in the poorest families. Asks whether Labour can reverse these trends.
Pension reform and income inequality among older people in 15 European countries
- Authors:
- VAN VLIET Olaf, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Social Welfare, 21(S1), October 2002, pp.S8-S29.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The ageing of populations has triggered pension reform in many advanced capitalist societies. Plans to alleviate the pressure of ageing on public financing have resulted in a trend towards more private pension provision. Considering that private social security arrangements generally entail less income redistribution than public social security, it could be expected that shifts from public to private in the pension provision would lead to higher levels of income inequality and poverty among older people. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the developments in pension systems and the variation in income inequality and poverty among older people across 15 European countries over the time period 1995-2007. First, using data from the OECD Social Expenditure database, the article analyses the extent to which reforms have resulted in a trend towards relatively more private pension provision. Next, using data from the EU Household Panel survey and Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, the article examines the extent to which these shifts have influenced income inequality levels and poverty rates among older people. The main result of the analysis is that shifts from public to private pension provision are not associated with higher levels of income inequality or poverty among older people. The results appear to be robust for a wide range of econometric specifications.
The Peter Townsend reader
- Author:
- TOWNSEND Peter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 678p.
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
This book brings together a collection of the work of Peter Townsend, a distinguished social science scholar and campaigner who died in 2009. The writings demonstrate the breadth and development of his work over a career spanning six decades. They are drawn together under the following headings; sociology and social policy; from welfare state to international welfare; poverty; inequality and social exclusion; health inequalities and health policy; older people; disability; and social justice and human rights.
A generation in transition: older people's situation and civil society's response in East and Central Europe
- Authors:
- HINCHCLIFF Paul, HALL Celine
- Publisher:
- HelpAge International
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 38p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This booklet aims to provide decision-makers within government, local and national civil society organisations, regional agencies and older people themselves with the following: A snapshot of the real issues, as identified by older people themselves; A brief description of the response to these issues by civil society organisations and older people themselves; practical advice for service providers on starting to put older people at the centre of services; views of older people’s groups on how the state can complement - or take into account - their work; insight into the reality of life for older people, told in their own words; details of activities in which older people and those working with them in civil society are involved; and a declaration by members of the East and Central European Network to governments.
Pakistan's zakat system: a policy model for developing countries as a means of redistributing income to the elderly
- Author:
- CLARK Grace
- Journal article citation:
- Social Thought: Journal of Religion in the Social Services, 20(3/4), 2001, pp.47-75.
- Publisher:
- Haworth Press
- Place of publication:
- Binghamton, New York
Pakistan's national zakat system is a simple welfare system based on traditional Islamic law. It provides minimal benefits to the very poorest of Pakistan's poor, especially the elderly. Although the system was launched with the highest religious ideals, utilising creative approaches to collecting and disbursing zakat, over time this system has experienced deficiencies due to corruption, favouritism, and government greed. Whiles zakat has not met the original goals of eliminating poverty or eliminating beggary, and while it has met the goals of providing rehabilitation and redistributing income in only the most modest sense, Pakistan has still demonstrated the potential for a zakat system to provide some cash income to the very poorest old in a very poor country who would otherwise have no cash income at all.
Promoting social welfare: first annual report of the Chief Inspector Social Services Inspectorate Northern Ireland 1994
- Author:
- NORTHERN IRELAND. Department of Health and Social Services. Social Services Inspectorate
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health and Social Services. Social Services Insp
- Publication year:
- 1994
- Pagination:
- 132p.,tables.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
Annual report organised under the following headings: planning and delivery; social and economic conditions; older people; disabled people; people with learning difficulties; people with mental health problems; and children and families.
Petersburg in the early 90's: crazy, cold, cruel.
- Author:
- CHARITABLE FOUNDATION NOCHLEZHKA
- Publisher:
- Charitable Foundation Nochlezhka
- Publication year:
- 1994
- Pagination:
- 255p.
- Place of publication:
- St. Petersburg
Articles on the social changes taking place in St. Petersburg, after the euphoria of perestroika had evaporated. Social problems looked at include: homelessness, unemployment, homeless children living on the streets, crime, and poverty. Places these issues in the context of the ineffectiveness of state social policy and the role social work could play in alleviating these problems.
Social work, social welfare and American society
- Authors:
- POPPLE Philip R., LEIGHNINGER Leslie
- Publisher:
- Allyn and Bacon
- Publication year:
- 1990
- Pagination:
- 690p.,tables.
- Place of publication:
- Boston, Mass.
Student textbook written in response to the new social welfare era ushered in by the Reagan presidency. Includes chapters on: social work as a profession; religion and social work; poverty and the nature and causes of poverty; child welfare; crime and criminal justice; mental health and developmental disability; health care; housing and homelessness; ageing; and responses to human diversity.