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The CPA Election 2010 site provides access to briefings, policy papers and manifestos from the the three main political parties and key organisations on issues affecting older people focusing on health and social care, pensions and retirement, poverty and discrimination, housing and life in the community. Also, see the Centre's Policies on Ageing resource for information on reports and initiatives around ageing.
The reform of social care including how care should be funded in the future is high on the political agenda. A conference convened by Health Secretary Andy Burnham (19 February) in an attempt to build a consensus on the reform and funding of social care produced a joint statement to feed into the White Paper. A cross-party group has produced a blueprint for reform drawing together common ground in Long Term Care for the Elderly: Shaping the Future (8 March). All three main parties have put forward proposals to change the funding system for social care, which remains a focus of contention. On 30 March, the government published the White Paper on social care, Building the National Care Service, setting out its proposals to build a comprehensive care service for all adults in England with national entitlements.
Other significant recent developments include the Personal Care at Home Bill (December 2009), providing free personal care for people with critical care needs, which received royal assent on 8 April 2010 but with implementation delayed until April 2011. The Law Commission has a proposal to draft a single adult social care law, taking over 38 existing community care laws. The House of Commons Health Committee has produced a report on social care calling on all political parties to come together to map out comprehensive and sustainable reform (12 March). |
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The Conservative Party's manifesto Invitation To Join The Government Of Britain is available here. It outlines policies on pensions and supporting older people, the family, and health. On 18 April the Conservatives launched an 'Invitation to Older People' manifesto. More ... |
The
Liberal Democrats' Election Manifesto 2010 is available here. The Party's four priorities are fair taxes, a fair future, a fair chance for every child and a fair deal by clearning up politics. Nick Clegg has set out policies for older people. More ... |
The Labour Party's'election manifesto A Future Fair For All is available here. Labour's key policies are outlined on health care, social care and on older people. More ...
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Age UK's (combining Help
the Aged and Age Concern) election manifesto Our Power is Our Number outlines critical areas for immediate action: respect‚ support‚ money‚ health and participation. Read more here. Age UK has produced briefings in response to the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos considering the pledges each party made on the key issues affecting people in later life.
Age UK's Agenda for Later Life 2010 report intentionally takes a longer view for public policy, picking out the key medium-term trends and policy priorities. |
Carers
UK has called for a new social contract between government, employers, public services, communities and families so that everyone works together to ensure that families and individuals are given the support they need to meet the challenges of managing chronic illness and disability.
Carers UK has published a policy manifesto with guidance on how to deliver the proposed Social Contract. Read the manifesto here. |
| The National Pensioners Convention Pensioners'
Manifesto includes demands for a basic state pension set above the official poverty level (£165
a week in 2009) for all pensioners, the restoration of the link between
pensions and average earnings, and free long term and social care funded from general taxation. |
The Pensions Policy Institute provides non-political, independent comment and analysis on public policy on pensions and the provision of retirement income in the UK. Access their website here. Read the PPI Election Briefing analysing the major pension proposals of the main political parties. |
| The British Geriatrics Society (BGS) has produced a manifesto which calls on the next government to implement policies which will: ensure older people have access to timely and effective healthcare; promote healthy ageing; lead to better integration of health and social care; and fund scientific research into ageing and age-related conditions. Read the manifesto here. |
The
King's
Fund draws on the independent expertise of their policy and
research staff to analyse the main political parties comments and proposed policies on health care. You can see their election coverage here. A new publication, Securing good care for more people: options for reform proposes new funding arrangements for adult social care and a long-term staged approach to reform. |
| The Institute for Fiscal Studies is producing briefing notes on key economic and social policy
issues being discussed by the parties. You can access their analysis of the parties' proposals in the run-up to the general election here. |
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Links
to facts and figures about the UK ageing population:
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