Centre for Ageing Better’s flagship report gives a snapshot of ageing today and in the future, focusing on their priority areas of work, housing, health and communities and how they affect people’s lives.
COVID-19 has laid bare the urgency of improving the state of ageing.
The picture described in this report through analysing nationally-available data shows how people across England are ageing. It shows the state of our health, our finances and our communities when COVID-19 hit and the impact it has had so far.
The pervasiveness of poor health, unsafe and low-quality housing, and a lack of social connections – particularly among the poorest in our society – has exacerbated the impact of the pandemic on those who already faced the most challenging prospects in later life. People currently in their 50s and 60s who lose their jobs now are at risk of falling out of the labour market for good. COVID-19 will deepen some of these inequalities yet further – but it did not create them.
Unless radical action is taken by government, business and others in society, millions of us risk missing out on enjoying our later lives.
The Centre for Ageing Better is a charitable foundation, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund. Their vision is a society where everyone enjoys later life.