Older People in the UK at Greater Risk of Poverty

The motion

That the Parliament notes the recent study carried out by DEMOS, which was published by WRVS, suggesting that older people in the UK are at a much greater risk of poverty than their neighbours in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands; notes that the study argued that more than one fifth of older people in the UK are considered to be at risk of poverty, compared to 6% in the Netherlands and that, among the four countries studied, they have the highest prevalence of life-limiting illness; understands that, if healthy life expectancy continues to increase at a slower rate than life expectancy overall, older people in the UK will spend an increasing number of years in poor health; notes that, according to the study, men and women in the UK spend the final 7.4 and 9 years of their lives in poor health, compared to 4.6 and 6.6 in Sweden; understands that the report indicated that the UK had the highest rate of loneliness; believes that loneliness has serious implications for older people’s health as well as happiness; understands that, according to a 2010 study, people who lack social relationships experience the same increased risk of death as smokers; notes that other data in the DEMOS study suggested that fewer people in the UK volunteer or participate in sports and leisure organisations than in the other three countries; expresses concern that the UK also performed poorest on indicators of age discrimination, with nearly half of those surveyed in the UK believing that age discrimination is widespread, compared with only one third in Germany; believes that Scotland and the UK face a challenge to ensure that people in older age enjoy a better quality of health and wellbeing, and considers that every effort should be made to prevent any increase in poverty among older people.

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

Lab 13 SNP 6 Green 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S4M-03084 by reference.