Labour

Labour promise to increase the pension credit guarantee in line with earnings and eliminate fuel poverty for vulnerable groups by 2010. The party says it would develop personalised budgets in social care, and extend case management. Mandatory retirement ages below 65 would be scrapped, "except where specifically justified", and employees would be given the right to request to continue working after 65.

Conservatives

In their mini-manifesto 'Action for Older People', the Conservatives promised to hold on to all of the special payments to pensioners that were brought in under Labour. The party also says it would give people more control over their social care to ensure that no-one is obliged to sell their home to pay for long term care. On tax, the party would introduce a permanent discount to reduce pensioners' council tax bills by 50 per cent, up to a maximum of £500.

Liberal Democrats

A Lib Dem government would increase the basic state pension for over 75s to £109.45 per week for single people and to £167.05 per week for married couples. The party says it would alter BSP eligibility requirements for over 75s to a simple residency test. They promise to gradually phase out all means-tested pensioner benefits and permit pensioners to take their winter fuel payments as a voucher redeemable against insulation and energy saving materials. They would also make retirement more flexible by allowing people to draw part of their private pensions while working part-time.

Stakeholder Response: Help the Aged

Kate Jopling, senior public affairs officer at Help the Aged, sums up the parties' offerings:

Liberal Democrats: "Help the Aged has no hesitation in applauding the Liberal Democrats for grasping the nettle on free personal care for older people. It is a campaign that we as a charity have been lobbying parliamentarians on for years and would make an enormous difference for the millions of senior citizens who face crippling costs and hard choices just to fund their own palliative and domiciliary care.

"We also welcome the Lib Dems' commitment to a citizens pension - such a measure needs to be paid at a level sufficient to lift recipients above the income poverty line and should be linked to earnings.

"In a single move, such a policy would ensure pensioners can avoid means-tested benefits and would help tackle many of the inequalities affecting women, older people with disabilities, the self-employed and black and minority ethnic groups."

Labour: "Labour has made significant strides in reducing pensioner poverty through its one-off measures such as winter fuel payments and council tax discounts.

"However, the Labour Party appears to be acting in an unjustifiably timid way in tackling the ticking time bomb that is pensions in this country, and their election manifesto does not give a clear sense of what its future policy will be.

"It is unlikely that the public would be prepared to wait much longer for the Labour Party to come up with proposals on how to address the pensions issue – millions of older people are looking closely at what is on offer in this election and want to see concrete policies on this vital issue."

Conservatives: "It is clear that the Conservative Party understands the importance of older voters, and has been paying attention to what senior citizens have been saying.

"Conservative proposals for the state pension represent modest progress, but with one in five pensioners still living below the poverty line, more radical action is required to address the level of the basic state pension.

"We are pleased to see the Conservatives also responding to older people's concerns on high levels of council tax, but believe that a tax based on property values alone will always punish pensioners who rely on their assets but have little income."

Help the Aged have also produced a document entitled 'The Help the Aged Challenge to the next government', which sets out their key demands for older people.  This document can be found here.

Stakeholder Response: Counsel and Care

"Counsel and Care welcomes the increased profile that older people’s concerns have within the main political parties’ manifestos. We live in an ageist society and addressing these issues is crucial. All parties need to be working towards a society in which older people are given choice and control over their affairs, and in which their views and experiences are respected and acted upon. Through older people who contact our advice service, we have identified key issues for the next government:

"Sustainable funding solutions for social care provision need to be sought and implemented. There should be a fair and properly resourced system which takes into account the needs of the poorest pensioners as well as those who have made provision for their retirement.

"Better dementia care and care for those older people with mental health problems. The diagnosis and treatment of older people with depression should be a priority, as many live with depression which remains untreated.

"Tackling social isolation. Many older people live alone without any substantial contact from their family or the wider community. Often problems can be solved through low-level intervention which in turn can help avoid crisis social care or hospital admission.

"The development of appropriate accommodation for older people which can adapt to their changing needs. Care in people’s own home, sheltered housing, extra-care housing and care homes all have a part to play in this and all need investment.

"Extending direct payments for social care services will enable older people to have more influence over the care they receive, and the way it is organised.

"Legislation which focuses on the needs of those who have caring responsibility for older people, requiring employers to offer flexible working and support."

Stakeholder Response: The Alzheimer’s Society

Clive Evers, director of information and education for the Alzheimer’s Society, told ePolitix.com: "The Alzheimer’s Society are delighted that the political parties recognise the importance of older voters in the general election debate. The Alzheimer’s Society asked people with dementia and their carers, many of whom are older people, to list their top ten priorities for whoever is elected at the general election.

"An end to charging for care, good quality respite care, the availability of specialist residential care and access to drugs treatments came out as the top priorities in our manifesto. During the election campaign, our members will challenge local parliamentary candidates on the doorstop and at hustings and ask them to consider how we can better support the thousands of people affected by dementia in the UK.”

To view the Alzheimer’s Society's manifesto click here.

Stakeholder Response: The Association of Retired and Persons Over 50

A spokesman for the ARPO50 said: "The Association exists to raise the quality of life and represent the interests of people over the age of 50. It does this through the provision of benefits, campaigning and support of 200 friendship centres throughout the United Kingdom. The needs and resources of older people extend across a wide spectrum and no ‘one size fits all’ solution will be adequate in every case.

"There is, however, a range of issues which affect everyone when, by reason of age, working life ends or is curtailed and where a fixed income, at whatever level, restricts opportunity and determines quality of life. It is these issues, in our view, which governments must increasingly take into account and which must be high on the agenda of the coming general election."

The ARPO50’s manifesto can be viewed here.

Stakeholder Response: The Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB )

The RNIB laid out their plans for older people in their manifesto: "Nearly 80 per cent of blind and partially sighted people are over 65. They are often isolated and nearly 75 per cent live in poverty, many unaware of the benefits to which they are entitled. People aged 65 and over who lose their sight cannot access Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and therefore are excluded from help that this benefit gives with extra mobility costs.

"It is a double blow to have to face the disabling effects of sight loss and to not have any help with extra mobility costs that blind and partially sighted people face.

"This is the number one priority our members want to address in the coming Parliament – hardship and social exclusion brought about by discrimination in the benefits system: first on the grounds of age and second on the grounds of impairment."

The RNIB election manifesto can be viewed here.

Stakeholder Response: Age Concern

Age Concern laid out the importance the election to older people in their manifesto: "This election matters because the next government will face three big questions which are important to us all:

"1) Will the government we elect make the tough decisions that are required to ensure we all have a fair chance of an adequate retirement income? Or will they keep their heads down and tolerate high levels of poverty and disappointment?

"2) Will the government remove the unfair age barriers that restrict us from exercising choices over our lives? Or will they take a back seat whilst growing numbers of angry people dismantle those barriers themselves?

"3) Will the government build public services that prolong independence and provide care and support as and when it is needed? Or will public services fail to meet individual needs or work only when we have the money to shop around? The answers to these three questions will determine whether politicians have a practical vision of an enabling state, or whether they will allow insufficient income, ineffective public services and ageism to remain barriers to opportunity."