ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on Tony Blair's record on issues affecting older people.

Stakeholder Response: Age Concern

To send a comment to Age Concern click here

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: "Tony Blair has run a fairly good race, but there’s still a long way to go as he passes the baton to his successor. Big hurdles to be tackled are pensioner poverty, age discrimination and the long-term care crisis.

"With older voters more likely to vote than any other group, Labour’s new leader would be well advised to treat issues affecting older people with the importance they deserve."

Social Care

"The state of long-term care in this country continues to be a national disgrace which will only get worse as our population ages.

"Thousands of older people aren’t getting the care they need, or are being forced to pay for care that should be provided for free by the NHS, because of confusion about the system and a chronic lack of funding.

"Labour must give solving the social-care problem the attention it requires if we are to have a care system that is fair, sustainable and respects the human rights of older people."

Pensioner Poverty

"There have been two million pensioners lifted out of poverty since 1997, helped by the introduction of the Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payment, but there are still 1.8 million pensioners living in poverty.

"The long-awaited Pensions Bill will help many of tomorrow’s pensioners but today’s pensioners need help now. As with child poverty, the government must set clear targets on tackling pensioner poverty and re-link the state pension to average earnings as a matter of urgency. It must also invest much more in getting the billions of pounds in unclaimed benefits to the very poorest and most socially excluded older people."

Health

"Record investment in public services has helped older people stay healthier for longer.

"Yet some basic care for older patients is far below the standard needed. Help with eating meals in hospitals isn’t always provided by overstretched nursing staff, despite the shocking level of malnutrition among older hospital patients. 

"Many older people still encounter ageism in healthcare, particularly mental health care, where people over 65 can have services withdrawn or restricted simply on the basis of age. Everyone should have the right to health care according to their needs, not their age."

Age discrimination

"The establishment of the CEHR has massive potential but the government must treat ageism with the same weight as other forms of discrimination.

"Ageism is the most commonly experienced form of discrimination and often leads to able older employees being forced to retire, older people receiving inferior health care or being denied access to other goods and services.

"Older people should be treated equally, age discrimination must be included in the Single Equalities Act and Mandatory Retirement Ages abolished."

Stakeholder Response: Help the Aged

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Mervyn Kohler, head of public affairs at Help the Aged, said: "Tony Blair's government has placed pensioners' issues in the limelight, when they should have been put in the spotlight.

"Help the Aged has no difficulty in welcoming some of the policies ushered in by the Blair administration. 

"The introduction of the means-tested Pensions Credit has made a significant difference to those who actually manage to claim it.

"The Winter Fuel Payment which is awarded to everyone over 60 is widely popular, as are the extensions to free bus travel.

"The government's action to tackle aspects of age discrimination deserve congratulation - but there is so much more to do to secure a society where age is truly celebrated.

"On the negative side, Tony Blair's administration has failed to adequately grasp the nettle on reform of Council Tax.

"Far too many older people are really suffering under the weight of Town Hall bills which take little or no account of ability to pay, leaving many pensioners having to make painful cut-backs elsewhere. 

"Meanwhile, care services at a local level have withered.  The jury is still out on how the government will carry through the agenda for greater dignity for older people in the NHS.

"Meanwhile, the much-vaunted reforms of the pension system lack the ambition which would really make a lasting difference to eliminating pensioner poverty now and in the future.

"Tony Blair leaves office with the rate of pensioner poverty at roughly the same level as when he entered it.  

"His government could and should have done more to remove this blight on our society. 

"However, many of his policies have made a real difference to our older population and so Help the Aged awards his decade at the helm a generous six out of 10."