The Saga Generation Manifesto - Six demands for a fairer society for the over 50s

The Saga organisation surveyed thousands of its customers through its Saga Magazine, Saga Zone online community, and the influential Saga Populus Panel – the largest monthly poll of over-50s opinion in the UK. The message received is clear and the group yesterday issued what it calls the;

'The Saga Generation Manifesto - Six demands for a fairer society for the over 50s'.

The point is made in the manifesto that the majority of voters at the forthcoming General Election are likely to be over 50, which makes it the first time that the Saga Generation, as they like to call the over 50s, will have such a decisive influence on the future direction of the country. Reference is made to a recent Populus poll for The Times which  found that 63 per cent of over-55s said they were certain to vote in the election compared with 21 per cent of those aged 18-24, 37 per cent aged 25-34 and 44 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds.

When referring to the recent German Federal Elections, and the way that they were strongly affected by grey power, Hans Rattinger, political scientist, commented: “No party can afford to conduct a campaign that fails to take into account the growing importance of pensioners”.

The major parties in the forthcoming UK General Election will do well to take this into account in their mainfestos and campaigning.

The six demands put forward are:

1. FAIRER FINANCES. - Older people need to know there is recognition of the contributions they have made throughout their lives both to society ingeneral and in taxation
   
2. ABOLISH AGEISM. -  Ageism is deep-seated in this country and should be tackled as a priority.
   
3. AGE BALANCE IN PARLIAMENT. - There should be a representative age balance of people entering Parliament: more older people with experience of business and life in general
   
4. SUPPORT FOR CARERS. -  The entire support structure for an ageing population must be tackled coherently and there must be clarity about what individuals can expect from the state.
   
5. INTELIGENT RETIREMENT. - We want to see an end to the compulsory retirement age and in its place a flexible, phased approach to retirement.
   
6. BETTER, SAFER STREETS. - Even though official crime statistics have improved, many older people feel less safe on the streets. More must be done to make them feel less fearful.

The full manifesto and supporting staistics can be read by clicking on the link above.