Author Archives: Age UK

Who would care for my Mum? Or for yours?

Posted on May 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

Imagine that one day your Mum is at home enjoying her retirement. She has always been highly independent, fit and well. Until the day she has a stroke.

After a short stay in hospital she comes home. But life is different now. It’s much harder for her to do everyday things. She struggles getting in and out of the bath and even using the shower is a challenge. There are times when reaching the toilet is too much. You have to face the fact that she cannot manage on her own any more.

You do the most sensible thing. You get in touch with Mum’s local social services. You explain the difficulties she is now having. They assess her needs. You hope this leads to some carers coming in to give Mum a hand with those things she is finding too much, like getting to the toilet, washing and preparing simple meals.

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Posted in Campaigning, Care in Crisis

Tagged #carecantwait, #careincrisis, Age UK, Age UK blog, Ageing, ageing society, campaigning, Care Bill, Care in Crisis, Care in Crisis campaign, Government, Health & wellbeing, Health and Social Care, Later life, Lobby a Lord, Local government, older people, social care, Social Care Bill, social care reform, who would care for my mum?

Let’s Talk Money

Posted on May 10, 2013 | 7 Comments

Welfare reform and the benefits system have been high on the news agenda recently, but an often overlooked issue is the persistent problem of pensioner poverty. With 1.7m pensioners (14%) currently living in poverty, and £5.5bn pounds of benefits left unclaimed by pensioners, Age UK has re-launched its Let’s Talk Money campaign.

A significant amount of research highlights that there are many reasons why older people aren’t claiming the benefits that they are entitled to – from a perception that the application process is too complicated, to the belief that they don’t qualify.

With so many people slipping through the net, Age UK aims to challenge the myths around eligibility, and encourage older people to claim the benefits that they are entitled to so that they can make the most of later life.

The campaign continues to focus on encouraging older people to claim the benefits they are entitled to, such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Attendance Allowance.

People on low incomes can use the extra money that benefits provide to pay for utility bills, broken appliances or some much needed help around the house – removing financial stress that is a burden for so many. Continue reading →

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Posted in Campaigning, Income, Money Matters

Tagged #letstalkmoney, Age UK, Age UK Advice Line, Age UK blog, Ageing, ageing population, ageing society, Attendance Allowance, benefit calculator, benefit entitlement, benefits, benefits advice, benefitscheck, housing benefit, Income, let's talk money, let's talk money campaign, money, money matters, More Money in Your Pocket, older people, Pension Credit

Queen announces landmark legislation for older people

Posted on May 8, 2013 | 23 Comments

We have repeatedly called for improvements to the pensions system and for urgent changes to the shambles that passes for our system of social care and today in the Queen’s Speech two of our proverbial buses arrived at once. The speech contained two pieces of landmark legislation: A Bill to simplify the legislative framework and funding of social care, and a Bill introducing a flat rate State Pension. Both these measures are very much welcomed by Age UK.

Improving the care and support system in England is long overdue. The complexity of the legal framework, the raft of regulations to plug gaps and the confusion many people experience when trying to navigate the existing care system tells us that care and support need reform. The Care Bill is a vital part of the changes that are necessary. However the current and future funding of adult social care is likely to be the elephant in the room throughout the progress of this Bill. Social care funding has declined by £710 million in real terms since the Government came to power in 2010. This is at the same time as the population of over 85, who are most likely to need social care, continues to rise. Budgets are falling while demand is rising. Continue reading →

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Posted in Government, Home and Care, Income, Money Matters, Public Policy, Queen's Speech, Social care

Tagged #carecantwait, #careincrisis, Age UK, Age UK blog, Ageing, ageing population, ageing society, Care and Support Bill, Care Bill, Care in Crisis, Care in Crisis campaign, Draft Care and Support Bill, draft Pensions Bill, Government, Home and Care, Incomes, money matters, National Employment Savings Trust, NEST, older people, pensioner poverty, pensions, Pensions Bill, pensions reform, Queen's Speech, Single-tier pension, social care

Is personalisation failing older people?

Posted on April 30, 2013 | 8 Comments

This blog was contributed by Clive Newton, Age UK’s National Development Manager – Care and Communities.

Five years on from the publication of Putting People First and Transforming Social Care, it’s time to take stock. Have older people entered the promised land of choice and control? Are they receiving personalised services, tailored to their individual needs and preferences? Did the £520m Social Care Reform Grant deliver the intended transformation in the way care and support is designed and delivered?

Unfortunately, from the point of view of most older people with care and support needs, the answer to all these questions is a resounding ‘no’. There hasn’t been a ‘strategic shift to prevention and earlier intervention’. The system remains crisis-driven, with ever-tightening eligibility criteria. Self-funders receive little or no support. And even those older people who are eligible for a personal budget rarely experience any real sense of choice and control. What went wrong? Continue reading →