AGE OF ANXIETY

As the party conference season drew to a close, it certainly seemed as though all the parties will be gearing up for a 'cost of living' election in 2015. But beyond the populist pronouncements on energy prices, childcare and housing, many recognize that the UK is in the middle of an inexor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPublic Finance no. 11; p. 38
Main Author Wood, Claudia
Format Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Redactive Publishing Ltd 01.11.2013
Subjects
Aging
Baby boomers
Costs
Elder care
Funding
Generation X
Government spending
Homeowners
Housing
Older people
Pensions
Population
Prices
Public services
Retirement
United Kingdom > UK
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Summary:As the party conference season drew to a close, it certainly seemed as though all the parties will be gearing up for a 'cost of living' election in 2015. But beyond the populist pronouncements on energy prices, childcare and housing, many recognize that the UK is in the middle of an inexorable, long-term social shift -- one that was well under way before the downturn, and will continue long after the economy bounces back. Even the recent hard-hitting House of Lords Committee on Public Services and Demographic Change report, Ready for ageing, failed to shake the government's complacency. Exempting pensioners from cuts in this parliament might have been a vote-winner, but by doing so, the coalition has all but excluded them from the national conversation regarding the reordering of public services, the welfare state and spending priorities. The next government cannot afford to place older people out of sight and out of mind.
ISSN:1352-9250