What is Age Concern doing this election cycle to inform/educate parties issues of importance to older voters?
NC: We have been trying to make each party understand the significance of older voters and that there are different kinds of older voters – they cannot be lumped into one voting block. I think we’ve been very successful in this campaign. The last time around, we were able to influence the language, while this time around we have also been able to influence policy. Each of the parties has published a manifesto on older people. Labour’s was focused on aging issues as they affect everybody – not just older people – which pleased us. They committed to pension reform, including consideration of a universal pension to close the gender gap in state pension benefits. They also commit to setting up a Commission on Equality and Human Rights which is needed to tear down ageist barriers that stop people making choices about their lives. The Liberal Democrats pledged commitment to free personal care, the Commission on Equaluty and Human Rights, and an increase in the state pension. The Conservative
