Age UK comment on local authority cuts

Michelle Mitchell, Age UK's Charity Director General, said:

'At Age UK we are extremely worried about the impact of Local Authority service cuts on older people.

'Meals on Wheels services are just one of the areas that have been hit, with older people either losing the service all together, or facing extremely steep price rises which will in many cases effectively mean that the service has been cut for lower income pensioners.

'All too often, a Meals on Wheels service is the only daily contact that vulnerable older people have, and so is much more to them that just getting a hot meal.

'This - combined with cuts to day care centres and social care support - means that more older people are being left to cope alone, often living an isolated and frightened existence, not knowing what tomorrow might bring.

'Age UK calls on the Government to ensure that the spending review in June makes sure that sufficient funding is put in place to ensure that older people get the support they need when they need it.'

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Notes to editors

For media enquiries relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland please contact the appropriate national office: Age Scotland on 0131 668 8055, Age Cymru on 029 2043 1562 and Age NI on 028 9024 5729.

Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged, dedicated to improving later life.

We provide free information, advice and support to over six million people; commercial products and services to well over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Our work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and well being, home and care, work and training and leisure and lifestyle. We work with our national partners, Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI (together the Age UK Family), our local Age UK partners in England and local Age Concerns. We also work internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with our sister charity Help Age International.

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and company number 6825798). Age Concern England and Help the Aged (both registered charities), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group ("we"). Charitable services are offered through Age UK and commercial products are offered by the Charity's trading companies, which donate their net profits to Age UK (the Charity).