All-Party Parliamentary Group

The APPG for Ageing and Older People works to engage with the political and legislative issues before parliament affecting people in later life. The group covers a wide range of issues from housing and transport to health and social care. 

Winter Fuel Payment: Keeping your constituents warm and well this winter

October 2024

This inaugural meeting marked the reconstitution of the APPG for this Parliament. Following changes to eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment, the panel discussed the implications of this for older people and what effective mitigations might look like ahead of the Autumn Budget. Age UK provided a range of information and advice to MPs on how to support their older constituents this winter in the face of these changes - including suggestions for boosting Pension Credit take-up, guidance for staying warm and well over winter and information about alternative financial support available.

Poverty among older people

July 2023

This meeting examined the cost-of-living crisis’s impact on the poorest older people. While poverty levels are lower than they were 20 years ago, there has been a rise in the number of older people living in poverty. The meeting explored the profile of older people who are most likely to be in poverty, how the cost-of-living crisis is particularly affecting older people, what the barriers to leaving poverty are, and what targeted policies are needed to support older people. These included calls for directly taking money off bills, greater uptake of Pension Credit, the introduction of a Commissioner for Older People, and social tariffs.

November 2023

The second meeting in the 2023 poverty series focused on challenges facing older workers, and what can be done to help older people return to or retain employment. It discussed post-pandemic trends in the labour market for over-50s, economic inactivity, the provision of employment support services and the need for better working rights for older people.

Health inequalities among older people

March 2023

This meeting looked at health inequalities among older people and how they can best be addressed. There are deep inequalities in how different people experience health in later life, and these are driven by a range of factors that are complex, interrelated, and can be challenging to address. We heard from speakers who addressed the most recent demographic data on health and inequality, the NHS England long-term plan on tackling inequalities, and the impact of socio-economic deprivation on older Londoners in Lambeth.

The impact of the cost of living crisis

December 2022

This meeting looked at how the cost of living crisis has impacted older people. We discussed how the government's support with energy bills has helped older people, what additional support could be made available to support older people, and what the long-term solutions to tackle this crisis are. We heard that over a million older people would be living in fuel poverty over the winter. We also heard that, while many pensioners are grateful and relieved that the triple lock will be reinstated, there are still many who would need more support from the government. We also heard from an older storyteller about how the cost of living crisis has impacted her.

Digital inclusion and older people

May 2022

This meeting looked at issues surrounding digital inclusion and older people. Although the number of older people who are digitally connected continues to rise, there are still around 3 million people aged 65 and older who do not use the internet. As much of the economy and society becomes increasingly reliant on the use of digital technology, it’s more important than ever that older people are still able to access essential services and fully take part in society. We heard from speakers who gave us insight into the impact that digital exclusion had on older people, what services can help older people gain digital skills, and how we can ensure that people without access to the internet are not disadvantaged in accessing information and services.

Pensioner poverty in the UK today

February 2022

This meeting focused on pensioner poverty and what can be done to tackle it. The latest figures show that 2.1 million (18%) of pensioners in the UK live in poverty. Every day, older people up and down the UK have to make difficult decisions on how to spend their limited fixed incomes. For many pensioners living in poverty, this means deciding between switching the heating on or buying less food. Speakers addressed issues such as increasing the uptake of pension credit, groups that were most at risk of pensioner poverty, and how the current cost of living crisis affects the poorest pensioners.

Femicide: tackling violence against older women

November 2021

This meeting examined how femicide can be better identified and understood, and what steps can be taken to tackle violence against older women. Cases of women over 60 being killed are often dismissed as accidents and are not investigated by the police. Until last year, victims over the age of 74 were not counted in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). We heard from speakers who touched on the barriers that older victims of domestic abuse and violence face when trying to access services, the impact that the pandemic has had on femicide, and how services can identify and provide support to older women at risk.

Human rights in care homes

July 2021

On 21st July, we met to discuss the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on human rights in care homes. The pandemic raised concerns about the equality and human rights standards in care homes, with issues such as bans on care home visits, Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) orders and discharging patients into care homes without testing. We heard from speakers who gave us insight into how human rights in care homes have been impacted by the pandemic, from the perspective of providers, residents, and relatives. We also heard from a campaigner whose mother has been in a care home throughout the pandemic about her experience and how it has impacted her mother.