We ensure the diverse voices of people in later life are heard at the highest level of government, across both Houses of Parliament, Whitehall and local government.
Our priorities for people in later life
Having enough money to live on
Our research shows that 40% of pensioners spent at least one year in financial hardship during the last decade. Some groups are significantly more likely to enter poverty past State Pension age including single women, Asian older people, and older renters.
Government support to help older people manage the rising cost of energy is welcome, but those on the lowest income cannot simply endure higher living costs.
We are calling on the government to fulfil its commitment to restore the State Pension triple lock from April 2023 and ensure that Pension Credit, and other benefits, are uprated to reflect high inflation.
A Pension Credit uptake strategy
Up to a third of eligible Pensioners in Great Britain continue to miss out on the Pension Credit, according to latest DWP figures. In the last 10 years, roughly £28 billion in Pension Credit - a financial top up for those in later life on low income - has failed to reach those who are entitled to it.
This means they are also missing out on additional targeted support from government to help with the rising cost of living.
We welcome the Department for Work and Pensions’ increased activity to raise awareness of Pension Credit and the role that MPs are playing in highlighting this benefit to their constituents. Future action to increase Pension Credit uptake must form part of a strategy and be based on evidence if we’re to see rapid and meaningful change.
Independent Age is calling on the DWP to publish a Pension Credit uptake strategic action plan for the next 5 years, in consultation with key stakeholders.
This call has been echoed by the Work and Pensions Committee in their cost-of-living inquiry report.
Download our briefing for parliamentarians.
A voice for older people in government
By 2042 one in four people in England will be aged 65 or over, and our older population is becoming increasingly diverse.
Growing older is a privilege, but an ageing population will create a new set of complex social and policy challenges that the UK is unprepared for. The support people in later life will need from institutions like the NHS and welfare systems are critical, but no single government department can respond to these issues alone.
As our older population becomes increasingly diverse, older people need an independent voice at the heart of government, championing their interests and amplifying their voices.
Independent Age is calling for an Older People’s Commissioner in Westminster, working alongside the devolved nations, to help make the UK the best place in the world to grow old.
Download our briefing for parliamentarians.
Independent Age is also part of the UK Commission on Bereavement , which has been established to explore these issues and make recommendations to better support bereaved people.
Please get in touch with public.affairs@independentage.org for more information or to discuss opportunities to work together.