Radical rethink of health, work and housing needed
A landmark report on the state of ageing in Britain shows that a significant proportion of the population is at risk of suffering poverty, ill-health and hardship in later life.
Our report, ‘The State of Ageing in 2019’, warns of substantial inequalities in health, work and housing for people in their 50s and 60s.
Today’s least well-off over 50s face far greater challenges than wealthier peers and are likely to die younger, become sicker earlier and fall out of work due to ill-health.
Following our report 'The State of Ageing in 2019’, the Centre for Ageing Better is calling for a radical rethink from Government, businesses and charities to ensure the next generation of older people can experience a good quality of life as they age and make the most of the opportunities presented by longer lives.
The research brings together publicly available data sources to reveal vast differences in how people experience ageing depending on factors such as where they live, how much money they have or what sex or ethnicity they are. While people aged 65 can expect to live just half of the remainder of their life without disability, those in less affluent parts of the country will die earlier and be sicker for longer. Ill health is a major cause of people falling out of work prematurely and can affect quality of life and access to services like healthcare.
Britain is undergoing a radical demographic shift, with the number of people aged 65 and over set to grow by more than 40% in just two decades, reaching over 17 million by 2036.
The State of Ageing in 2019: Adding life to our years
As more people live longer, greater focus is needed on tackling the causes of preventable ill health and disability including poor diet and low levels of physical activity. The Government must require all new homes to be built to be accessible and adaptable as standard and commit to improving the condition of existing housing. Employers must do more to support people to keep working in fulfilling jobs as long as they want, especially those managing health problems or caring responsibilities, enabling them to save more for their later life.
Dr Anna Dixon, Chief Executive, Centre for Ageing Better, commented:
“Living for longer can provide us with huge opportunities to enjoy ourselves and spend time doing the things we love. But this report is a wake-up call for us all – many people in their 50s and 60s now, particularly those who are less well-off, simply won’t get the quality of later life that they expect or deserve.
“We must act now to add life to our years; to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to make the most of a longer life. Without radical action today to help people age well, we are storing up problems for the future and leaving millions at risk of poverty and poor health in later life.”
