Age UK London Unveils its Manifesto for the London Mayoral and Assembly Elections

• Age UK London calls on the next Mayor to commit to tangible action for older Londoners
• Over 200 older Londoners hear from the Mayoral candidates or representatives at a hustings event today

Age UK London has today released its manifesto for the upcoming London Mayoral and Assembly Elections. The manifesto outlines the charity’s vision for an age-friendly London and calls on the next Mayor to commit to tangible action to improve the lives of older Londoners.

The manifesto is based on extensive consultation with the local Age UK network, pan-London bodies, and older Londoners. More than 700 people and organsiations provided feedback on the issues they most want to see the Mayor act on.

More than 200 Londoners aged over the age of 50 will be attending a hustings event in London on Monday 25 March 2024 to hear from four of the main mayoral candidates and provide their views.

“The launch of the Mayor’s Action Plan for an age-friendly London in November 2023 was a significant milestone,” said Abigail Wood, CEO of Age UK London. “However, the existence of a plan alone is not enough. The Mayor has a vital role to play in ensuring the plan is put into practice.”

The manifesto highlights the rising cost of living and the need to tackle inequalities. One in four Londoners over the age of 50 now live below the poverty line and a third live below the ‘Minimum Income Standard’. Those living with a disability or long-term health condition, and those who rent rather than own their home are far more likely to report financial worries.

To make the capital a better place for older Londoners, Age UK London calls on the next Mayor of London to commit to an Age-friendly London, tackle poverty, help to eradicate the digital divide and support the health and wellbeing of older Londoners. This includes ensuring that the Mayor’s new action plan, ‘Towards an age-friendly London’, is delivered in full and able to be measured in terms of outcomes.

Age UK London calls on all mayoral candidates to listen to London’s older population and commit to making London a much better place in which to grow old.

Ends