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Social care reform, financial inclusion, localism and more

Age UK

2 min read Partner content

With party conference season fast approaching, Age UK outlines what it has planned, along with details of its priorities during this busy time.

Over the past year Age UK has continued to engage decision makers on key issues impacting people in later life. Whilst there was good news in 2010 with sweeping anti-age discrimination legislation, the indexation of the basic state pension to earnings, the end of forced retirement and cross-party commitment to radical reform of care and support, the comprehensive spending review announced spending cuts on an unprecedented scale. These local cuts are hitting vulnerable older people badly.

In the coming months, we feel a key priority must be translating the landmark Dilnot Commission report into a reform programme for social care funding and legislation that allows everyone to plan for their future care needs. Social care services are in crisis and only a strong political commitment to short term financial support and long term reform will ensure that people can live without fear of needing social services in later life.

We are also in the process of major reforms to state and private pension provision. As a priority, we feel it is essential to ensure that lower income and disadvantaged groups are able to build up enough resources so that their retirement is a time of opportunity rather than one limited by financial restrictions. At Conservative Party Conference, Age UK will be co-hosting 'In Conversation with Iain Duncan Smith' along with Prudential, Conservative Home and chair Fraser Nelson, to debate these timely issues.

We hope you can join us for this debate or one of our other fringe sessions taking place at this year's Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative party conferences. Our sessions will debate social care reform, financial inclusion, support for people during international emergencies, health care reform and localism.

Further details on all of our fringe debates can be found by visiting http://www.ageuk.org.uk/partyconferences.

Be sure to visit our exhibition stands too – we'll be inviting delegates to tell each of the party leaders what they think parties should focus on to improve later life. If you aren't attending conference you can follow our activities on Twitter by using the hashtag #ageukpc.

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