The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Steve Webb)
I am pleased to announce Ageing Well, a new programme designed to support local authorities to improve their services for older people. The key aim of the programme is to provide a better quality of life for older people through local services that are designed to meet their needs, and which recognise the huge contribution that people in later life make to their local communities. The programme consolidates current best practice from local authorities and the lessons learned from earlier pilot activities and will be delivered by Local Government Improvement and Development. An essential aspect of the programme is to help authorities to improve efficiency while still delivering quality services.
Ageing Well recognises that local concerns need local solutions and will encourage authorities to take the lead to work in partnership with other local organisations to develop imaginative approaches to the issues faced by their particular communities. We want to help local authorities to use their resources effectively, to promote well-being in later life, to ensure that older people can live independently for longer, to engage older people in civic life and to tackle social isolation by recognising older people’s potential. The programme is driven by this Government’s view that older people in our society deserve every opportunity to age well, in communities that value their experience.