Across the UK, not everyone is having the retirement they’d hoped for.
Many people in later life face challenges - these could be worries about having enough money to live well, trouble accessing the right care and support or experiencing ageist attitudes.
Older people need a voice for later life, now and for the future.
In less than 20 years, one in four of us will be over 65 and so we need solutions now to the problems that people face in later life to help plan for an ageing population.
There are already valued Commissioners in Northern Ireland and Wales.
Independent Age, Centre for Ageing Better, Age UK and National Pensioners Convention (NPC) have brought together more than 70 organisations, including the NASUWT FRMA, supporting a call on the Government to create a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing (COPA).
The Commissioner would amplify and raise awareness of the issues that older people and our ageing society face and then bring together government departments to resolve and deliver these issues to benefit us all as we age.
More than 75 charities and organisations have now signed a Consensus Statement with Independent Age, Centre for Ageing Better, Age UK and NPC to seek better representation for older people across government policy making.
They are backed by a number of older celebrities in a special video by national treasures such as DJ Tony Blackburn, World Cup hero Sir Geoff Hurst, actor Don Warrington, former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips and chef Rustie Lee.
The NASUWT FRMA believes strongly that it is in members’ interest to have an Older People and Ageing Commissioner.