Older people’s commissioner role in England to be considered by the UK Government
The Centre for Ageing Better has expressed its hope that the UK Government will create a new independent post focused on issues surrounding older people and ageing.
The charity has been campaigning alongside Independent Age, Age UK and the National Pensioners Convention to champion the rights of older people and ensure policymaking considers the needs of England’s ageing population.
More than 70 organisations have backed Ageing Better’s call alongside a petition of more than 36,000 signatures that was delivered to political party leaders last April.
The Women and Equalities Committee also endorsed its call in its report on the Rights of Older People which was published in February.
In its response to the report published in May, the government stated that it will consider the experience and effectiveness of the Commissioner for Older People in Wales, with any evaluation, lessons learned or other evidence informing their thinking on any further action that might be taken in England, including the possible use of older people’s champions at local or regional levels.
Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “It is disappointing that the government has not taken up this golden opportunity to be more proactive in establishing a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England. But we take hope that the option is not being taken off the table and that the government is open to exploring the possibility.
“We know that the idea of the commissioner is popular with the public, including nine in 10 older people, and that the commissioner roles for Wales and Northern Ireland are very effective advocates for older people’s rights. It’s high time that older people in England had the same champion standing up for them.
“We welcome the government’s suggestion of expanding the use of Older People’s Champions throughout local and regional levels. We know these champions can be extremely effective in ensuring age equality is considered throughout local authorities’ strategy and planning processes. We see these roles as complementary to a commissioner overseeing all of England including national government, but we do also need more champions of older people’s rights at all levels of government.
“While the government believes the Equality Act 2010 already provides a strong framework for protecting older people from discrimination, the evidence from our Age Without Limits campaign suggests otherwise. Ageism is the most widespread form of discrimination in the UK, half of people over 50 experience negative treatment because of their age impacting every area of people’s lives. We need urgent and decisive action to tackle this rife prejudice.
“A Commissioner for Older People and Ageing would help bring a cross-government, big picture strategy to manage the fundamental changes that come with the demographic shift we are experiencing. Without one in place in England, we are relying on piecemeal and siloed approaches that will inevitably fail to deliver the change needed.
“The Women and Equalities Committee could not have made clearer the urgency and magnitude of this issue. They rightly pointed out the need for greater legal protections against age discrimination and for a cross-government approach to our growing ageing population. The Committee was right to highlight how age is often the protected characteristic that gets overlooked and the dangers of digital exclusion. The country deserves a more coordinated approach to tackling these important issues.
“We’re grateful to the Women and Equalities Committee for their vital work and we encourage them to continue to shine a light on the many harmful aspects of ageism within our society. We assure them from experience, they will not be short on issues to explore.
“We are hopeful that there might be more positive action from industry regulators such as the ASA and IPSO who were also highlighted by the Women and Equalities Committee Report and we await their responses with interest.
“At Ageing Better, we will continue to advocate for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing with our campaign partners because we know this issue is too important to push into the long grass. We will not allow later life to be a time of reduced opportunity and reduced circumstances. Better planning and more long-term thinking can unlock so much untapped potential within our ageing population, for the good of all of society.”
