Policy

Editorial

New government figures show an increase in pensioner poverty, which the Department for Work and Pensions has described as ‘disappointing’ while Age Concern has called it ‘a national disgrace’.

Over the last decade poverty has fallen by 800,000, but numbers rose from 1.8 million in 2005-06 to 2.1 million in 2006-07 (when measured on an ‘after housing costs’ basis). One reason for this was that a £200 payment made in 2005 to help older people meet council tax bills was not repeated.

Age Concern has called for increases in the state pension and for more to be done to ensure people receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

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Click on the headings below to access the different subject areas of the bulletin or download the whole issue by clicking on the pdf file in the box at the top right of this page. (Previous issues are available at the end of this page, below the contents list.)

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Contents of this month’s issue:

Income and finance
Debt and mental health: Mind research
Entitlement to income-related benefits to 2050: DWP report
Extension of funding for pensions education
Faster payments service: APACS information
Fidelity retirement index
Financial exclusion in Europe: EC report
Insurance comparison websites: FSA review
Poverty, income and benefit take-up 2006-07: DWP reports
Risk-sharing in pensions: DWP consultation
Tax on small pensions: HMRC announcement
Welfare benefits and healthcare: Age Concern report
With-profits funds: FSA consultation

Health
Compassion in healthcare: NHS Confederation report
Cost of mental health care in England to 2026: King’s Fund report
Environments for end-of-life care: Department of Health announcement
Healthcare services for older people: BMA survey
Health-EU web portal
NHS chief executive’s annual report 2007-08
NHS review: strategic health authority reports
Preventive care for older people: Department of Health announcement
Primary care for BME groups: Department of Health report
Primary care in an ageing world: WHO guidance
Support for stroke care: Department of Health circular
Volunteering in health and social care: Department of Health consultation
Worried about your memory? Alzheimer’s Society campaign

Social care
Activity provision in care home: COT guidance
Care of people with dementia living in care homes: CSCI report
Carers: government strategy
Delays in increasing a Direct Payment: Ombudsman report
Dignity in care: Department of Health announcement
Falls prevention: WHO report
Fee increases for residential care providers: ECCA report
Home care charges: coalition report
Independent living: Department of Health funding
Learning disability and dementia: resource pack
Mental Capacity Act: Department of Health circular
Mental Health Act: revised code of practice
New ratings for care services: CSCI online directory
Ordinary Residence disputes: Health and Social Care Bill debate
Performance assessment of adult social care: CSCI consultation
Telecare services in England: CSCI online resource

Equality and human rights
Age discrimination: government announcement on the Equality Bill
Ageism: Help the Aged film
Ageism in Britain: Age Concern briefing
Draft European Discrimination Directive
DWP equality schemes
EHRC: business plan 2008-09
Government Equalities Office: business plan 2008-09

Housing, communities and crime
Design, community regeneration and older people
Disabled Facilities Grants: CLG announcement
Lifetime neighbourhoods: Help the Aged report
Older households with learning disabilities: Care & Repair resources
Park homes dispute resolution: CLG consultation

Work and learning
Employment advisers in GP surgeries: research report
Informal adult learning: Age Concern response to DIUS consultation
Life chances: Strategy Unit discussion paper
Long-term unemployment: CLG review
Pathways to Work: DWP cost-benefit analysis
Pathways to Work: DWP report on effectiveness
Working longer, living better: Eurofound resource pack

Consumer and transport
Fuel poverty: government announcement
Future of the post office network: select committee report
Older drivers’ technology needs: SPARC report
Older people and transport: SPARC report
Technology and safe driver behaviour: SPARC report

Society and government
Adult media literacy in the UK: Ofcom report
Benefits of new technologies: Ofcom report
Draft legislative programme: government consultation
Legal advice centres/networks: Legal Services Commission plans
Older people in emergencies: WHO report
Older people’s information on government services: DWP report
Spotlight on older people in the UK: Help the Aged report

Politics
Bills before Parliament
Care and support debate
Care home charges: parliamentary question
Health and Social Care Bill: Committee stage
Pensions Bill debates

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