Spotlight on our cost-of-living campaigning
We’re taking your concerns about bills, food costs and energy prices directly to the top.
Seeing headlines in the news about the rising cost of living can be really overwhelming, and we know first-hand at Independent Age that it’s the number one concern of many older people across the UK.
As Campaigns Manager here at Independent Age, my role is to make sure that the concerns of older people living in financial hardship are taken straight to the people in power, in a way they cannot ignore, to make change happen. Very often, the people with the power to improve the lives of older people are government ministers or even the Prime Minister, but could also be key members of staff in the NHS, your local council or regulators.
So, when we hear just how much anxiety and distress spiralling prices is causing, we’re here to stand for and with older people to make change happen. We’re taking your concerns straight to the top.
Campaigning on the cost-of-living crisis
A lot has happened in recent weeks. We have a new Prime Minister, a new government, energy prices have sharply increased and we’ve seen a package to keep those costs down. But what does that mean for older people?
We know that it’ll give some welcome breathing space for many older people, but ultimately energy prices are higher than they were a year ago. That means some older people in financial hardship will continue to experience difficulties, and why we’ve called on Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister to take action.
On top of asking for an energy package, which we’ve seen, we’re also concerned that up to 850,000 households could receive Pension Credit but don’t currently. This vital income top-up can really make the difference between having the money to live well and not. We also want to see the State Pension and Pension Credit increased in line with inflation, so that older people don’t lose out financially.
Nearly 4,000 of you signed our open letter asking the Prime Minister to make this a reality, and we couldn’t be more grateful. With Meg, our star campaigner in tow, we went to Downing Street and handed in our open letter with other charities who are campaigning on the cost-of-living crisis, and it was great to make sure the voices of older people were part of the conversation. Thank you to everyone who supported us, we’re sure it’ll make a difference.
What next?
With a new government in place, this is a great opportunity to shape the priorities of ministers that hold responsibility for ensuring older people can live with choice, dignity and purpose. Doing that is no small undertaking, as lots of other charities and organisations will be doing exactly the same thing!
So, we’re getting creative. We want to welcome the new Work and Pensions Secretary, Chloe Smith, with a greeting card filled with messages from older people and their families. In her new role, she is responsible for setting the government’s approach to pensions, benefits such as Attendance Allowance and income top-ups like Pension Credit. If she can hear directly from you why it’s so important for older people to be front and centre of her plans, we’re sure we can make an impact.
The more voices we can amplify, the greater chance we have of Chloe Smith listening to the concerns older people might have in this uncertain time.
You can get involved by leaving a welcome message for her here.
If you’ve got a story to share, or you want to be more involved in our campaigning work, we’d love to hear from you. You can email campaigns@independentage.org and we’d be more than happy to help!
