Independent Age surveys our beneficiaries on an annual basis so that we understand their needs and preferences and continue to be relevant to older people today
6. The majority of respondents were female Base: All respondents supplying gender information
7. 73% of respondents were aged over 70 with 37% aged over 80 Base: All respondents supplying age information
8. A good geographic spread with the majority of responses from the South of England Base: All respondents supplying region information
9. 45% of respondents indicated that the previous 12 months had been worse whilst 41% indicated that it had been better Base: All respondents
10. The majority of respondents have a weekly income of between £101 and £150 Base: All respondents
11. Better financial security, increased support and seeing more of family and friends key to improved feeling of well-being Base: All respondents
12. Better financial security and increased support more important to male respondents than female respondents Base: All respondents supplying gender information
13. Improved financial security more important for those aged over 65. New activities less important for the oldest respondents Base: All respondents supplying age information 15 15 17 13 12 Improved health 23 24 23 20 16 Seeing more of family and friends 25 27 28 24 21 Increased support 30 32 32 22 15 Better financial security 9 12 14 14 8 Change of circumstances 7 13 12 14 10 New activities 8 11 9 10 7 Holidays % % % % % 70-80 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
14. Improved financial security key in all regions apart from Scotland and Ireland Base: All respondents supplying region information 9 8 10 12 21 24 26 % Wales 32 14 15 13 19 Improved health 25 22 24 24 20 Seeing more of family and friends 22 26 25 25 28 Increased support 30 28 33 35 21 Better financial security 8 12 10 10 9 Change of circumstances 13 11 10 9 12 New activities 12 9 9 9 14 Holidays % % % % % South Ireland Central North Scotland
15. Better financial security at a slightly higher level among those with higher weekly income Base: Those supplying weekly income figure
16. The consequences of declining heath and increasing bills are most likely to impact negatively on well-being Base: All respondents
17. Males more concerned than females about increasing bills, females more concerned than males about losing friends and loved ones Base: All respondents
18. Concern about declining health and its consequences tends to increase with age, concern about rising bills most likely to be mentioned by younger respondents Base: All respondents supplying age information 14 12 13 17 13 Being lonely and isolated 7 9 8 13 13 Caring responsibilities 45 31 27 29 42 Increasing reliance on others 31 44 52 62 59 Increasing bills 56 49 45 51 59 Declining health 61 50 49 48 53 Frustration at being able unable to do things I used to 38 31 30 21 24 Losing friends and loved ones 22 34 48 50 44 Being unable to afford the things I used to enjoy 20 20 23 28 26 Unable to go on holiday % % % % % 9 70-80 8 9 11 4 Fear for personal safety 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
19. Concern about declining health and its consequences are issues across most regions Base: All respondents supplying region information 15 11 13 12 14 13 Being lonely and isolated 10 9 8 8 9 11 Fear for personal safety 17 24 21 24 20 21 Unable to go on holiday 14 34 25 40 41 55 58 % Wales 32 36 35 38 39 Increasing reliance on others 42 41 46 42 41 Increasing bills 34 53 51 54 45 Declining health 52 53 56 55 55 Frustration at being able unable to do things I used to 38 38 30 32 28 Losing friends and loved ones 39 34 38 30 30 Being unable to afford the things I used to enjoy 8 8 7 9 12 Caring responsibilities % % % % % South Ireland Central North Scotland
21. A safe neighbourhood with good local shops and nearby post office considered key community issues Base: All respondents
22. A safe neighbourhood slightly more important to males than it is to females Base: All respondents supplying gender information
23. A safe neighbourhood and good local shops of most concern to younger respondents. Base: All respondents supplying age information 32 28 28 31 41 Well maintained pavements 37 52 51 43 36 Reliable bus/train service 51 54 42 48 47 Nearby post office 59 66 65 68 67 Good local shops 66 73 79 81 73 Safe neighbourhood 23 21 22 23 24 Good street lighting % % % % % 70-80 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
24. A safe neighbourhood important in all regions Base: All respondents supplying region information 26 23 32 31 31 22 Well maintained pavements 24 44 54 59 71 % Wales 34 45 45 45 51 Reliable bus/train service 49 50 53 49 55 Nearby post office 62 65 69 57 64 Good local shops 70 71 70 74 78 Safe neighbourhood 19 20 21 30 24 Good street lighting % % % % % South Ireland Central North Scotland
26. Females more concerned than males about domestic issues. Males more concerned than females about support from social services and personal care Base: All respondents supplying gender information
27. 60-65 year olds most likely to indicate that help with household chores/repairs. No specific trends in other areas Base: All respondents supplying age information 31 33 34 29 38 Support from social services 38 30 28 42 47 Help getting out and about 46 36 31 43 36 Help with shopping 59 55 57 64 49 Help with household chores/repairs 21 21 24 23 32 Equipment to help you get around the house 32 26 25 30 49 Personal assistance/help caring for yourself % % % % % 70-80 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
28. Help with household chores and repairs of more significance in the North of England and Scotland. Support from social services of more importance in Wales and Ireland Base: All respondents supplying region information 18 41 42 37 36 51 % Wales 45 31 33 29 34 Support from social services 33 32 37 37 35 Help getting out and about 35 40 41 42 39 Help with shopping 53 57 57 62 62 Help with household chores/repairs 22 22 23 23 18 Equipment to help you get around the house 23 28 31 31 31 Personal assistance/help caring for yourself % % % % % South Ireland Central North Scotland
30. Males slightly more likely than females to indicate that adequate financial support is key Base: All respondents supplying gender information
31. Although financial concerns are important to all, they tend to decline by age Base: All respondents supplying age information 79 84 89 88 91 Additional financial support 48 51 58 57 62 Help with financial affairs 76 80 84 84 60 Adequate state pension % % % % % 70-80 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
32. Additional financial support key in all regions Base: All respondents supplying region information 57 78 87 % Wales 52 51 50 53 54 Help with financial affairs 69 79 79 79 78 Adequate state pension 75 83 83 84 86 Additional financial support % % % % % South Ireland Central North Scotland
33. Support from IndependentAge, keeping in contact with friends and relatives, good health and a supportive key to health and well-being Base: All respondents
34. Support from IndependentAge more important for males than females. Keeping in contact more important to females than it is to males Base: All respondents supplying gender information
35. Support from IndependentAge the most important factor irrespective of age group. For respondents under 60 a supportive GP receives is of higher significance than it is for other groups Base: All respondents supplying age information 46 43 48 56 66 Supportive GP 43 52 54 45 30 Good health 64 65 60 67 60 Keeping in contact with friends and relatives 80 84 81 83 75 Support from IndependentAge 21 15 9 12 17 Support from Neighbours 40 45 42 43 48 Getting out and about % % % % % 70-80 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
36. Support from IndependentAge recognised as key across all regions. Getting out and about more crucial in Ireland Base: All respondents supplying region information 43 38 46 49 50 45 Supportive GP 51 52 47 51 46 46 Good health 50 42 44 39 41 44 Getting out and about 16 64 77 % Wales 24 18 11 16 14 Support from Neighbours 54 62 71 65 68 Keeping in contact with friends and relatives 78 81 84 83 83 Support from IndependentAge % % % % % South Ireland Central North Scotland
38. Females more likely than males to worry about becoming dependent on others Base: All respondents supplying gender information
39. Those in their 50s the most concerned about becoming dependent on others Base: All respondents supplying age information
40. Declining health clearly considered most likely to put independence at risk Base: All respondents
41. After declining health males are more likely than females to indicate that financial and bureaucratic issues might affect their independence whilst females are more likely to stress getting to the shops Base: All respondents supplying gender information
42. Declining health and fear of rising bills of most concern to younger respondents, domestic issues of more concern to older respondents Base: All respondents supplying age information 27 24 28 30 33 Dealing with bureaucracy 13 15 16 15 10 Poor transport service 35 31 24 21 19 Unable to get to the shops 35 31 26 31 20 Unable to care for the garden 30 45 46 56 60 Fear of rising bills 83 84 83 89 90 Declining health 12 12 13 18 18 Fear for personal safety 30 31 25 26 16 Closure of local post office and shops % % % % % 70-80 80+ 66-70 60-65 Under 60
43. Declining health key across all regions Base: All respondents supplying region information 15 16 24 24 28 32 42 85 % Central 27 25 28 25 29 Dealing with bureaucracy 10 16 14 13 14 Poor transport service 19 27 34 30 23 Unable to get to the shops 31 31 29 32 32 Unable to care for the garden 56 42 39 41 48 Fear of rising bills 80 90 85 88 82 Declining health 22 13 10 15 14 Fear for personal safety 17 33 32 26 30 Closure of local post office and shops % % % % % Wales Ireland South North Scotland
44. Declining health a major concern irrespective of age Rank 1 Rank 1 Rank 1 Rank 1 Rank 1 Rank 1 Base: All respondents supplying age information
45. Fear of rising bills of most concern to younger respondents Rank 2 Rank 2 Rank 2 Rank 2 Rank 4 Base: All respondents supplying age information
46. Caring for the garden of more concern to older respondents Rank 4 Rank 6 Rank 5 Rank 3= Rank 2= Base: All respondents supplying age information
48. The majority of respondents have a weekly income of between £101 and £150 Base: Those answering
49. Just under half of respondents spend more than £25 a week on food whilst just under a quarter spend between £21 and £25 Base: Those answering
50. Just over half of respondents spend more than £30 a month on heating each month whilst a further quarter spend between £21 and £30 Base: Those answering
51. 89% of respondents support an increase in the basic state pension Base: All respondents
52. 76% of respondents think that pensioners should automatically receive retirement benefits without means testing Base: All respondents
55. 68% of respondents see their friends or family at least once a weekly basis – A quarter see them daily Base: All respondents
56. Over 90% of respondents know their next door neighbours Base: All respondents
57. 84% of respondents who know their neighbours speak to them at least once a week – 38% speak to them every day Base: All respondents who know their neighbours
58. 30% of respondents who live alone do not see friends or relatives at least once a fortnight Base: All respondents living alone
60. Around 1 in 8 respondents have caring responsibilities Base: All respondents
61. Amongst those aged 65 or under this rises to 1in 5 Base: All respondents supplying age information
62. In the majority of instances respondents are caring for a relative Base: All respondents with caring responsibilities
63. Where respondents are caring for others, over half indicate that this is for more than 50 hours a week Base: All respondents with caring responsibilities
64. Over half of those with caring responsibilities do so for 50+ hours irrespective of age Base: All respondents with caring responsibilities supplying age information