Media centre

Warns new ‘state of the nation’ report

Care services could go from bad to worse in the next three years, according to a groundbreaking new ‘state of the nation’ report by Age Concern. The Age Agenda 2008 claims that without a big cash injection and radical reform of the system, the Government’s rhetoric on social care will fail to become a reality.

The Government has set out a positive vision for social care reform, promising a Green Paper in 2008 following widespread public consultation and pledging an extra £520million over the next three years to help modernise service delivery.¹ But with local government budgets rising by just 1% despite a 4% rise in social care costs,²  the charity is warning that there is a growing gap between aspirations and reality. Unless the Government shows bold leadership and puts its money where its mouth is, older people and their families will continue to be badly let down by the failing care system.

Published today, the report – Age Concern’s annual assessment of public policy and older people – calls on the Government to review spending on social care annually and provide emergency top-up funding where necessary. It also gives the charity’s verdict on public policy in 2007 and sets out the key challenges for the year ahead.

There has been some good progress including long-awaited state pensions reform, small but positive steps to increase benefit take-up, a new national system of free bus travel for pensioners, and yesterday’s long-awaited launch of a national housing strategy for older people.³ But the report criticises the Government for wasting a major opportunity to confront the challenges of a rapidly ageing population.

The much-anticipated Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) had been billed as a radical 10-year review of public spending with demographic change at its heart. But its failure to address two major problem areas – local authority social care budgets and social exclusion among older people – and set out a long-term strategy for public services indicates the Government has yet to fully grasp the nettle.

Age Concern’s Director General, Gordon Lishman, said: “The Government set out an impressive vision for social care in 2007 – but the real test now is whether it can deliver it. Without sweeping changes, the system will limp on until it breaks completely, leaving millions of older people without the care they need to stay healthy and independent. Now is not the time for dithering about the unavoidable costs needed to care for our rapidly ageing society, decisive leadership is urgently needed.”

Looking ahead, the report calls on all the political parties to face up to the challenges posed by an ageing population and sets out Age Concern’s key calls for 2008:

1. Radical reform of social care
2. Action on social exclusion among older people
3. Comprehensive age equality legislation
4. A joined-up strategy on information and advice services
5. The ‘age-proofing’ of employment and skills policy

The report will be launched later today at the charity’s Age Agenda conference.⁴ Speakers at the event will include: Ivan Lewis MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Services, Mike O'Brien MP, Minister of State for Pensions Reform, Baroness Andrews, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and David Willetts MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

1. Putting People First, Department of Health, December 2007
2. The Age Agenda 2008, Age Concern England, February 2008 (page 9)
3. The National Housing Strategy for an Ageing Population, Department of Communities and Local Government, February 2008
4. The Age Agenda conference is the leading annual conference on public policy and older people. This year, it is taking place on Tuesday 26 February at The Radisson SAS Portman Hotel, London W1. If you are interested in attending, please contact Helen Spinney on tel: 020 8765 7514 or email: helen.spinney@ace.org.uk

•  For  PDF or hard copy of The Age Agenda 2008, please contact Helen Spinney as above

 

For general enquiries please contact us.

Journalists contact:

Media contact:
Brendan Paddy/Helen Spinney
Telephone:
020 8765 7350/7514
Out of office hours:
07071 243 243
Email:
Media@ace.org.uk