How can politicians face up to the challenge of the ageing population?

Guardian event hears calls for a new social movement to put demographic change on the agenda

It was the issue that whispered rather than roared during the election campaign. With the number of over-85s set to double by 2030, we know there’s a huge challenge ahead as our population ages. We know too that, as the Lords’ report on ageing put it, the government and society are “woefully under-prepared”. Yet still politicians seem reluctant to face up to the impact this significant demographic change will have on everything from health and social care services, to pensions provision, employment practices and housing stock.

A panel of experts and an engaged audience at a Guardian event discussed what the government should do to prepare for an ageing population. The lack of effective debate on the issue during the election campaign was down to politicians being afraid to confront some of the difficult choices ahead, the event heard. “All political parties are running scared of the pensioner vote – pensioners do vote so you do what they want you to do,” said crossbench peer Lord Bichard, chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence.

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