28/11/11

By Andrew Holt

Each year more than 21,000 older people end their days alone, penniless and in paupers’ graves, according to new figures.

The figures paint a tragic picture across the UK with around 40,000 people passing away every year without money in place or family willing or able to pick up the bill and have a state-funded burial or cremation as a result.

Over 65s account for over half (54%) of all public health funerals with, on average 17,000 in the North West, 11,900 in the West Midlands and over 11,000 in London taking place in the past five years.

A freedom of information request by older people’s charity Anchor shows while the number of public health funerals held by local authorities has remained broadly consistent over the past three years, there are some areas across the UK that have seen a rise in older people dying without funds.

The South East has seen a 14% increase in state-funded burials and cremations since 2006 and the East Midlands saw an 8% rise over the same period.

The findings come as Anchor delivers its 130,000-strong Grey Pride petition calling for a dedicated Minister for Older People.

Campaigners will today visit Number 10 Downing Street to hand over the petition in a bid to persuade the government to appoint a Minister and give older people a bigger voice.

Anchor chief executive Jane Ashcroft said: “These sad figures speak for themselves. Close to 40,000 people, mostly elderly, are dying around us with no family or friends nearby to care for them every year.

"Our ageing population is growing and so is the worrying picture of isolation and loneliness across the country.

"This is why it is so important that older people are given a voice at the highest level. We are urging the Government to listen and appoint a Minister for Older People.”

Equally, according to data from the Family Resources Survey 2010, there are 300,000 people whose only source of income is the state pension and the state second pension.

This means these 300,000 people will be living on just £37 per day to cover all expenses including rent, bills and food.

Anchor chief executive Jane Ashcroft added: “As one of the largest and fastest growing parts of British society, it is a travesty that the issues that matter to older people are under-represented in Government.

“We urgently need a dedicated Minister who can take responsibility for joining up policies affecting older people, ensuring they are looked at in the round, rather than as fragmented issues.

"As a first priority, we need the Minister to respond to the Dilnot Commission on funding social care and oversee publication of a White Paper early in the New Year. It is crucial that we find a way out of the current care funding crisis for the older people of today and tomorrow.”

More than 20 organisations are backing Grey Pride, while Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband responded to Anchor’s call by appointing Liz Kendall MP to the position of shadow minister for older people in his reshuffle of the opposition front bench last month.

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