Daily Telegraph article
Published on 13 February 2012 01:00 PM
Responding to an article in the Daily Telegraph on Friday 10 February - ‘Elderly told to go back to go back to work and downsize', Age Cymru's Head of Policy and Public Affairs Graeme Francis says:
"It is extremely concerning to see Britain's ageing population referred to as an ‘economic burden'.
"Age Cymru feels the fact that more people are living longer, with increasing numbers in good health, is something to be celebrated not regarded as a problem.
"Many older people have - and continue to make, a major contribution to our society, both economically and through unpaid roles such as carers or voluntary work.
"It is true that our ageing demography will pose challenges, but with careful planning there is ample time for the country to adapt successfully.
"While Age Cymru accepts that as we live longer overall it is reasonable to review State Pension age, we must take into account health inequalities and not simply mirror increasing average life expectancy.
"Along with that comes a responsibility for government and employers to help older people find and keep jobs, but to partly blame older people for the current national housing shortage is unwarranted.
"The majority of older home owners have worked hard throughout their lives to buy their homes and no-one should be forced to move to smaller accommodation unless they want to."