Building A Society For All Ages

Currently in the UK pensioners outnumber school children. Labour has launched a comprehensive strategy “Building A Society For All Ages”, to help Britain prepare for our ageing society.

Speaking on the measures Adrian Bailey MP said:

“The Labour Government is taking direct action to ensure that all Britons can make the most of the opportunities that longer lives bring.  We are prepared for the challenges as well as the opportunities that are on the horizon”

The strategy builds on work already being done and sets out new proposals include:

·        The launch of an interactive one stop shop for helping people plan ahead from 2010.  This will help people in mid-life to make decisions on financial, health, careers and other issues;

·        The new Active at 60 package will provide people with information about their entitlements and opportunities – helping them to stay active and involved in their later life;

·        Working with local areas we will develop a Good Place to Grow Old Programme with a National Agreement to promote the importance of ageing issues at a local level, and an innovative service delivery fund to test new approaches to delivering services for older people;

·        At a national level the new UK Advisory Forum on Ageing will be responsible for providing advice to ministers across Government on additional steps that Government and partners need to take to improve well-being and independence in later life.

·        Building on the National Insurance measures taken in the budget to help those caring for grandchildren, a summit will take place in the autumn to explore the changing role of grandparents more widely and what more we can do to support them in maintaining strong relationships with their grandchildren after parental separation and divorce.

Further information on the strategy “Building A Society For All Ages” is available at  www.hmg.gov.uk/buildingasocietyforallages