Ready for Ageing?

The UK population is ageing rapidly, but we have concluded that the Government and our society are woefully underprepared. Longer lives can be a great benefit, but there has been a collective failure to address the implications and without urgent action this great boon could turn into a series of miserable crises.

The Committee focused on the implications of an ageing population for individuals and public policy in the near future, the decade 2020–2030. Key projections about ageing include:

• 51% more people aged 65 and over in England1 in 2030 compared to 2010
• 101% more people aged 85 and over in England in 2030 compared to 2010
• 10.7 million people in Great Britain can currently expect inadequate retirement incomes
• over 50% more people with three or more long-term conditions in England by 2018 compared to 20084
• over 80% more people aged 65 and over with dementia (moderate or severe cognitive impairment) in England and Wales by 2030 compared to 2010.

Longer lives represent progress, and the changes do not mean a great economic or general fiscal crisis. Moreover the contribution to our society made by older people, which is already impressive, will be even greater as a result: 30% of people aged over 60 volunteer regularly through formal organisations. However, as well as opportunities, the changes create major challenges for individuals, for employers, for our welfare services, and for the Government and all political parties. Others have looked at aspects of these changes, but the Committee’s approach was holistic: surveying the landscape to highlight key issues for our society and encourage public debate.

To make a success of these demographic shifts, major changes are needed in our attitudes to ageing. Many people will want or need to work for longer, and employers should facilitate this. Many people are not saving enough to provide the income they will expect in later life, and the Government must work to improve defined contribution pensions, which are seriously inadequate for many. People need help to make better use of the wealth tied up in their own property to support their longer lives.

The National Health Service will have to transform to deal with very large increases in demand for and costs of health and social care. Overall, the quality of healthcare for older people is not good enough now, and older people should be concerned about the quality of care that they may receive in the near future. England has an inappropriate model of health and social care to cope with a changing pattern of ill health from an ageing population. Further fundamental reform to the NHS in the next few years would be undesirable, but radical changes to the way that health and social care is delivered are needed to provide appropriate care for the population overall and particularly for older people, and to address future demand.

Social care and its funding are already in crisis, and this will become worse as demand markedly increases. The split between healthcare and social care is unsustainable and will remain so unless the two are integrated. Sufficient provision of suitable housing, often with linked support, will be essential to sustain independent living by older people.

An ageing society affects everyone: these issues require open debate and leadership by the Government and all political parties. The challenges are by no means insuperable, but no Government so far has had a vision and coherent strategy; the current Government are no exception and are not doing enough to ensure our country is ready for ageing.

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