Older voters put others first, new survey finds

Data compiled by Saga found that only one in ten over 50s identified issues that affect them as the most important factor in how they vote.

While just 29% of 18-24 year-olds who were asked said that issues that affected the country as a whole were their most important consideration, 60% of those aged 65 and over agreed.

The research also found that the older you are the more likely you are to vote, with 89% of people aged 65 and over saying they were very likely to cast their vote in the forthcoming general election compared to just 52% of those aged 18-24.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATED CONTENT

​We are the champions: PPCs encouraged to engage with older people

Showing they care - charity calls for parties to commit to social care funding

____________________________________________________________________________________________

The recent Scottish referendum appears to have boosted political engagement north of the border as 83% of Scots said it was very likely that they would vote. This is in contrast with their Celtic cousins in Wales of whom only 63% said they were very likely to vote.

Propensity to vote was found to vary by socio-economic group with 71% of those categorised as DE saying they were very likely to vote compared with 81% of those classed as AB.

Paul Green, Saga’s director of communications, said: “Older people take their responsibility to vote seriously with 9 in 10 saying they are very likely to vote in the General Election. 

“The good news is that their vote will largely be on who they believe is best placed to run the country for all generations.

“Far from being selfish the grey vote is more community spirited and less self-centred than the younger voters when it comes to considering how to cast their ballot – which is good for democracy and for society.”