“There is much to be welcomed about the government’s intentions to level up, and this could be a transformational moment. But, without a coordinating mission to address the stark inequalities that manifest in later life and respond to the huge demographic change underway, this transformation simply will not be achieved.
“We are an ageing population. Wholesale changes to our country must acknowledge this and plan accordingly. We are talking about populations where over 40% are already over the age of 50, so all economy and skills, transport and regeneration powers must take account of this shift.
“The reiteration of the government’s goal to increase Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) by five years is welcome but needs a cross-government approach and must be a clear focus in the forthcoming Health Disparities White Paper.
“That means looking beyond the private rental sector, to address the dire state of the over one million non-decent homes lived in by 55+ owner-occupiers who struggle to manage their upkeep. It means targeted, tailored support for the thousands of older workers left behind by the recent employment recovery.
“These new powers and structures really do represent an exciting opportunity, but to realise their potential the government must first understand who is at greatest risk of poor health and poverty in later life if we are going to level up our futures. And it needs a strategy to galvanise government at all levels to achieve this.”
