The Government is warned to address the implications of the UK's ageing society

Six national charities have formed an Alliance to urge all political parties to face up to the challenges of a rapidly aging population.

The Ready for Ageing Alliance has today been launched at a public debate in London, which is considering how the Government should respond to the UK’s ageing society.

The Alliance has been formed in reaction to last month’s Ready for Ageing report by the Public Service and Demographic Change Committee which claimed that there is a need for all political parties to take action now to avoid a future crisis.

Lord Filkin, chairman of the Committee, said: “Health and social care need to be radically reformed; both are failing older people now. A big shift in services is essential so that the many more older people with long-term conditions can be well cared for and supported in their own homes and in the community and not needlessly end up in hospital. All health services and social care must be integrated to help achieve this.

“This is not a distant issue; our population is older now and will get more so over the next decade. The public are entitled to an honest conversation about the implications.”

The committee accused the government of ‘woeful unpreparedness’ about the UK’s ageing society.

The charities that form the coalition include Age UK, a charity providing important information for older people about issues surrounding ageing, including understanding the process of finding a care home, and advice about coping with the changes that it brings.

Also joining the Alliance is Anchor, England’s largest non-for-profit provider of housing and care to older people, running 97 care homes throughout England.

Jane Ashcroft, chief executive of Anchor said: “The policy issues that affect older people are wide-ranging and complex; and being made more so by demographic change. They span almost all government departments and several Ministers’ portfolios, yet individuals are being let down by a collective failure to address the needs of our growing older population. It is crucial that long-term solutions are developed and there is accountability within Government for action, to drive improvements for current and future generations of older people.”

Arguing that living longer can be a great gift, the Alliance is urging politicians to do more to react to the social change that will come with an ageing population.

Warning that a failure to respond to demographic change will have significant negative impact on the future of the UK, the Alliance have said that the health, care and pensions of older people are at risk, as well as the future success of the UK economy.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director general at Age UK said: “Some policymakers may think they can afford to put off addressing the long term trend towards ageing, but the challenges and opportunities longevity brings are already with us and effective responses need developing now.

"Age UK is pleased to be working with the Ready for Ageing Alliance to encourage politicians right across the spectrum to engage positively with the fact of an ageing society, from which potentially we have a great deal to gain.”

The possibility of intergeneration tensions has also been highlighted by the Ready for Ageing Alliance, and director of the Centre for Policy on Ageing, Gillian Crosby commented: “We live in a diverse and ageing society and our attitudes need to change to reshape our approach to the changing demographics. Public policy and service provision should encourage partnership, co-production and take heed of the evidence base of ‘what works’ and ‘what does not’ so that ageing becomes a positive experience rather than something to be feared.”

The Alliance is urging the Government to deliver cross party agreement on Commissions on income and pensions, and health and social care in an aging society, with Centre for Policy on Ageing, Independent Age, the International Longevity Centre-UK and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation joining age UK and Anchor to form the Ready for Ageing alliance.

The Government has also been urged by the alliance to respond positively to the House of Lords’ ‘Ready for Ageing’ Report and set out a plan for addressing the policy challenges of demographic change and ensuring that the challenges of an ageing society are prominent within their election manifestos.

Claire Turner, head of team (an ageing society) of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said: “The question - are we ready for ageing? - is one for all of us. Our ageing society provides opportunities as well as challenges for individuals, communities and government and it is vital that we don’t ignore, but celebrate ageing. As part of this, we need a bold, broad and long-term vision on how best to respond to demographic change.”

Find out about the Ready for Ageing report here: www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1559455/house-of-lords-warns-of-crisis-saying-uk-is-woefully-unprepared-for-ageing