Age Space reveals that families across the UK are woefully under-prepared to deal with later-life/elderly care, with almost two-thirds (62%) of UK adults 45+ admitting they’ve never even discussed future care needs for either themselves or a parent, and only 6% have a clear plan, according to new polling.
The national poll carried out by Savanta on behalf of Age Space (www.Agespace.org), the leading online resource for families supporting elderly relatives, shows widespread confusion, with over half of UK adults (52%) aged 45+ saying they don’t understand the options for funding care needs. 36% say funding of future care has never been discussed and 17% say they don’t have the funds and believe the state will pay.
To tackle this silence, broadcaster, author and former Blue Peter presenter, Janet Ellis (pictured above with Age Space Founder, Annabel James), is spearheading Prepare to Care, a campaign with Age Space, urging families to have three vital conversations about later life:
- Where do you want to live when you’re older?
- If you need care, what kind of care would you accept?
- How will this care be paid for?
Janet Ellis, mother to three children – singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, musician and former child actor Jackson Ellis-Leach and art historian Martha Ellis-Leach – sadly lost her husband John to cancer five years ago, and knows all too well the perils of leaving discussions about care until circumstances force it on you.
“When it comes to thinking about what sort of care you might like in later life, it’s not the easiest topic to address. As I get older, I’m far more dependent on help for everything from putting up a shelf to booking flights and it’s easy to feel a certain loss of status. Addressing the three basic questions feels to me like taking back a bit of control. But an astonishing ninety-four per cent of us don’t talk about these things until forced to by circumstance, when it’s unlikely to be your most measured conversation. Get all the information you can about all the possibilities for you, taking budget and geography into account, for starters, so you can make your best decision.”
Annabel James, Founder of Age Space added: “This research highlights the UK’s care blind spot. Families aren’t talking, most don’t understand the options, and many have no plan at all. People want to stay in their own homes, but without open discussions and preparation that may not be possible. Our Prepare to Care campaign is about breaking the silence and giving families the confidence to plan together, rather than waiting for a crisis. The three conversations we are urging families to have will provide a framework to help make these important decisions.”
The polling also revealed the public don’t trust any of the political parties to deliver a coherent plan to fix the social care crisis, with almost a third (32%) saying no political party is likely to solve the crisis, and a further 17% say they don’t know. However, more people back Labour or Reform at 16%, over the Conservatives at 10%, the Lib Dems at 7% and just 2% would trust the Greens to fix the issue.
Polling findings:
- Financial uncertainty: More than half (52%) of people aged 45+ admit they don’t understand how to pay for care in later life.
- Silence and inertia: 62% of UK adults aged 45+ have never discussed later-life care with parents or relatives. Only 6% have concrete plans, and 30% haven’t considered where they or their parents might live if care needs change.
- Confidence crisis: Nearly half (48%) of adults aged 45+ say they don’t feel confident their family is prepared for later life care decisions.
- Thinking in isolation: While 42% of people aged 45+ have started thinking about their own future care, just 17% have thought about the needs of an elderly parent or relative — suggesting people are planning in isolation, without family discussions.
- Confusion and avoidance: 74% of reasons for avoiding conversations come down to confusion or lack of knowledge — not knowing where to start (30%), not wanting to think about it (30%), feeling it’s too far off (29%), or not knowing what options exist (28%).
- Housing preference: Most want to stay in their own home with care (26%). Just 8% would choose a care home and a mere 6% say they would live with family.
With an estimated 5 million* unpaid carers/family members currently caring for relatives in the UK, the Prepare to Care campaign provides a blueprint of resources and guidance: in addition to the three important conversations, the campaign provides a checklist for how to spot if elderly parents and relatives need more help at home; guidance to make important decisions –a power of attorney, writing a will and identifying potential health needs; tips for making the home safe to help avoid falls, as well as advice on care solutions and the all-important funding.
