Older people must be heard

NPC has renewed its call with three partner organisations for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England in a letter to the Prime Minister.

Together with Independent Age, Age UK, the Centre for Ageing Better, NPC has written to Sir Keir Starmer MP and Minister for Women and Equalities, Bridget Philipson MP, calling for the establishment of a role to serve as a voice for older people.

Our joint action follows polling from Independent Age that found 80% of people in later life believe the UK Government ‘doesn’t care’ about older people in poverty.

The letter follows the Women and Equalities Committee recommendation that the UK Government should look “at the work of the Older People’s Commissioner in Wales with a ‘view to replicating a similar framework across England’.”

Organisations call on PM and UK Government to create a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing

Welcoming the move Jan Short, NPC General Secretary said: “We very much want the government to start working with us on a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England. All nations should have the benefit of a Commissioner so that older people are recognised and valued.”

Main Points of our Joint Action:

Coalition of older people’s organisations calls for the creation of a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England.
Polling by Independent Age found that four in five people aged over 65 think that the UK Government “doesn’t care” about later life poverty, and that 90% of older people support the call for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing.
UK Government is due to respond in May to the Women and Equalities Select Committee recommendation to replicate the framework of Wales, which has a Commissioner.
A coalition of older people’s organisations has today sent an open letter calling for the UK Government to create a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing, as they eagerly await the Government’s response to a committee recommendation which would improve representation of older people at the heart of decision making.

The UK Government is due to respond to the WEC committee’s report in May. This latest recommendation builds on previous findings from May 2024 where the case for a commissioner was called ‘overwhelming’ by the then Chair of the committee, Caroline Nokes MP. The charities say that, with an ageing society of which one in four of us will be over 65 by 2040, this role is important to both today and tomorrow’s pensioners. The group argue that, with poverty in later life affecting around 2 million, a Commissioner could work to increase take-up of financial entitlements for eligible older people on a low income. This has been seen in Wales, where the Older People’s Commissioner has driven significant additional awareness of the under-received Pension Credit, which is worth an average of over £4,000 extra a year for each successful claim.

The charities also say that all older people need support from the NHS and social care and social security systems, but that no single government department can respond to these issues alone. A commissioner would facilitate the long-term planning that is needed to ensure the country’s economy and public services are adapting to demographic shifts, while allowing more people to age well.

The call has the backing of 90% of older people and more than 70 organisations.

Joanne Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Age said: “The older people on a low income we speak to have told us that they feel like their voice doesn’t matter and, since last year’s Winter Fuel Payment changes, many across the country feel like they have been forgotten. People in later life who are facing financial hardship need an independent advocate with the power to make change. A Commissioner for Older People and Ageing is essential in an ageing society and will benefit us all as we grow older. We hope that the UK Government acts on the recommendations of the Committee and seriously considers creating a commissioner role in England, to mirror Wales and Northern Ireland.”

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: "The now well-established Commissioner roles in Wales and Northern Ireland have more than proved their worth. They have helped older people's views and experiences to be better heard and better understood by decision makers and the public alike, and they have improved the quality and joined-upness of the public policy produced by their governments as a result. With our rapidly increasing ageing population in England there is much to gain from establishing a Commissioner role, and really nothing to lose. It's time for the Westminster Government to act."

Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better said: “The solutions to accommodating a growing ageing population and tackling society’s widespread ageism lies across the responsibilities of a number of government departments. Currently these issues often fall through the cracks or are shunted into the long grass. That is why we desperately need a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing for England, a role which has been strongly endorsed by the general public as well as the Women and Equalities Committee. “A commissioner will not just advocate for the rights of the current generations of older people but will advocate for us all to enjoy a better later life and work to create a more equitable society for the benefit of us all.”

ENDS

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