One Voice report

The One Voice report from the newly merged charity of Age Concern and Help the Aged tracks progress on issues over time. Four of the 30 indicators in the report had improved‚ 13 had worsened and 13 showed no change.

Key findings that have improved in the last year include:

• One in five people aged between 65 and 74 (19 per cent) are doing recommended levels of exercise. This has risen from 16 per cent.

Key findings that have worsened include:

• Three fifths of people aged 65 and over (60 per cent) believe older people suffer widespread age discrimination‚ including in the workplace.
• One in five pensioners (19 per cent)‚ the equivalent of more than two million older people‚ lives below the poverty line.

Key findings that have remained showed no change over the last year include:

• Seven out of 10 people aged 65 and over (68 per cent) believe politicians see older people as a low priority. The charity is warning politicians that a similar percentage of people aged 55 and over voted in 2005 and this has implications for the approaching General Election [4].
• One in ten people aged 65 and over (11 per cent)‚ the equivalent of more than one million older people‚ perceive themselves to be often or always lonely.