All Party Group on Ageing and Older People

An introduction to the All Party Group on Ageing and Older People.

The all party group on ageing and older people was set up in May 2015 and meets three times a year. The purpose of the group is to ensure that the issues affecting older people are a priority for the Northern Ireland Assembly, to ensure that Assembly policies prepare for an ageing society and to encourage debate and engage in discussion with the Northern Ireland age sector and MLAs.

There are more than 350,000 older people in Northern Ireland, comprising 20 per cent of the population. The number of people aged over 85 has increased by almost a quarter since 2002. By 2033, those aged 85 and over are predicted to account for 4 per cent of the population. A total of 93,400 people aged 60 or over currently live on their own in Northern Ireland.

The group comprises of 10 MLAs and plans to ensure the successful implementation and monitoring of the Ageing Strategy for Northern Ireland. It also aims to inform future legislation and services for older people through dialogue between older peoples’ groups, networks and political representatives. It aims to ensure that older people in society are treated as fully engaged citizens with equal rights and to provide support for the growing ageing population.

Secretariat for the group is provided by Age NI. The groups’ meetings are open to the general public with next one due to take place on 7 June 2016. For further information visit www.niassembly.gov.uk/your-mlas/all-party-groups/all-party-group-on-ageing-and-older-people