Gordon Brown Prime Minister
Henry Allingham, a British veteran of the First World War, has just become the oldest man in the world at 113. He has lived through three centuries, he is the head of a family that spans five generations, and his life is extraordinary in very many ways. But reaching Henry’s age will not be so unusual in the future - a future for which Britain must now be preparing.
Already in Britain, for the first time in our history, there are more pensioners than there are children under the age of 16. And one in four babies born today will live to be a hundred.
The fact that we are living longer is cause for celebration – a tribute to human progress, to the success of the welfare state and to the genius of medical science. But we also need to make changes to ensure that we have choices about how we want to live as we grow older – choices about how much to work, how to access the healthcare that will keep us fit for longer, and how best to stay engaged with our communities.
That’s why we are making radical reforms to the pension system, including an assurance that no pensioner need live on less than £130 a week. It’s why the Equality Bill will outlaw unjustifiable age discrimination. And it’s why we are supporting older people with straightforward, practical policies that make a real difference to their lives – from free swimming to the free bus passes that enable them to get there.
It’s also why we are announcing that the review of the Default Retirement Age - which allows employers to retire people at 65 even when they would like go on working - will be brought forward to next year.
Evidence suggests that allowing older people to continue working, unfettered by negative views about ageing, could be a big factor in the success of Britain’s businesses and our future economic growth. As a country we must make the most of the talents of all our people, whatever their age, if we are to secure a successful economic future. That means Government changing the way it supports older people, but it also means a shift in attitudes and expectations across the whole of our society, helping to shed outdated stereotypes and to challenge assumptions about what growing older means.
This strategy sets out our vision for that ‘society for all ages’ – but it is a society that we can only build together, with individuals, families, communities, business, Government and Non-Governmental Organisations all working together to help older people live longer, healthier, more active lives.
The scale and complexity of the challenge should not be underestimated, but I have no doubt that we should view these demographic changes as an opportunity rather than as a threat – our chance to build a society where people are judged not by their age but by their capabilities and needs, and where every person of every age is able to contribute to a better, stronger Britain.
The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP Prime Minister
As a country we are living through an enormous demographic shift. This is a challenge, but it is also a great opportunity. We should rightly celebrate the fact that we have the chance to live longer and take advantage of the unprecedented wealth of prospects not afforded to any generation that went before.
People can currently expect to spend up to a third of their lives over State Pension age. For this time to be fulfilling, productive and happy, we must create an environment where our later years can be a time to be enjoyed. This is not just an issue for people who are already approaching later life. It affects everyone, not only because we are all getting older, but because we will all increasingly interact with, look after and learn from the greater numbers of people who are in their later life.
In the presence of such a shift in the age of our population we must adapt as a society, and quickly, so that we can ensure that everyone has the chance to live fulfilling, productive lives, whatever their age. This strategy is designed to promote everyone’s well-being, help keep people healthy, create a stronger, richer sense of community and boost our economy.
It is in order to ensure that as a society we are able to make the most of this demographic change that we have worked across government to develop this strategy, Building a Society for All Ages. It develops the Government’s 2005 strategy, Opportunity Age which has largely been delivered. It builds on a solid foundation of recent reforms to the pensions and health systems for older people.
Every one of us will have different needs and expectations as we get older. This strategy reflects that, and aims to give people the tools and the encouragement they need to prepare more effectively for later life, to make the most of their later years and to enable them to access the right support when they need it.
Everyone will be touched by this strategy and we must all work together nationally, regionally and locally to deliver it.
We look forward to putting it into action.
Angela Eagle MP Minister of State for Pensions and the Ageing Society Department for Work and Pensions
Phil Hope MP Minister of State for Care Services Department of Health
