Age NI launches Act4Age election pledge

In the run up to July’s General Election Age NI, along with its Consultative Forum and age sector groups and networks, is asking all candidates to pledge that they will speak up for older people. 

The Act4Age pledge sets out four priority issues that older people have identified as key concerns, alongside 4 actions MPs could take to address them once elected. 

Launching the Act4Age pledge today, Age NI’s Charity Director Paschal McKeown said: 

“We are delighted to be working with older people and our partners across the age sector to make sure that older people can have their voices heard. It is our hope that all election candidates and political parties will show their commitment to older people’s rights and wellbeing by signing the Act4Age pledge.” 

Noting that people aged over 65 had the highest voter turnout rate in the last General Election at 78.5%, Age NI says that the opportunities and challenges presented by a rapidly ageing population should be high priority for all aspiring MPs. Age NI gathered information from over 980 older people through their 2023 Lived Experience survey and consulted with their Consultative Forum and partners in the age sector to prioritise the issues in the Act 4 Age pledge.  

The cost of living and pensioner poverty feature on the agenda with a call to keep the pension triple lock in place and provide older people with better access to benefits. Whilst health and social care services are devolved to the NI Executive, the older people consulted by Age NI wanted to emphasise the role of MPs in supporting reform and investment across the UK as well as working to secure the funding necessary to deliver vital public services from the UK Treasury. Loneliness, public transport and protecting community services all feature as key demands for developing age friendly communities and environments where older people can thrive. Finally, Age NI is calling for better protection of older people’s rights, especially as Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK with no law against age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services. 

Age NI has produced Act4Age pledge cards as a tool for voters who want to talk to candidates or canvassers about what matters to them as older people. This is available online or as a printed postcard on request. 

More information about Act4Age and how candidates can sign up to support the campaign can be found at ageni.org/act4age