Helping older people in Scotland
Help the Aged first opened an office in Edinburgh in 1985. The work of Help the Aged in Scotland largely mirrors that of the Charity elsewhere in the UK but reflects local differences and local needs.
We provide services and support to older people on a collective basis, and also work to effect change by improving older people's status and position as equal citizens in society.
How the Charity works in Scotland
The Charity fulfils its remit primarily through its work with over 130 older people's forums, in conjunction with other major agencies, thus ensuring that older people's voices are heard. Through its grant programme in Scotland, Help the Aged improves services and resources on the ground.
The team produces and regularly updates a Forum Directory and sends this to all 32 of Scotland's local authorities and other key organisations.
Help the Aged works with the Scottish Parliament, its Executive arm and with all local authorities, which deliver many key resources.
Team members sit on bodies as varied as the:
- Police Working Parties;
- Fuel Poverty group;
- Age Discrimination group;
- Strategy For An Ageing Population;
- Ofcom consumers' panel;
- Scottish Civic Forum; and
- VAAS, a 45 member strong consortium working on introducing Vulnerable Adults legislation - unique within the UK. Help the Aged is a primary member.
The Scotland team also serves as co-Secretariat for the Parliamentary Cross-Party group on older people and age-related issues and is a member of the Cross-Party group on human rights.
Our Impact Report for Scotland is available to download in PDF format.
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Media profile
Help the Aged in Scotland has a high media profile on a large number of issues. Some are UK-wide, such as Age Discrimination and Pensions and Benefits, but many are Scotland specific. Examples of the latter include:
- Crime;
- Transport;
- Health and Community Care;
- Social Justice;
- Inclusion.
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About the Scotland team
The team has since grown steadily since 1985 and Help the Aged in Scotland has moved to progressively bigger offices over the years.
Scotland now has a team of six field staff, who cover issues to do with press, policy, projects and forums.
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Scotland's older population, an overview
Scotland has a population of around 5 million, which includes approximately 1 million people of pensionable age.
The Charity has to make sure it is reaching Scotland's more isolated older people as well as those based in towns and cities. Beyond the major cities, where most of the population is centred, Scotland quickly becomes quite rural. Although these rural areas represent the greatest part of the landmass, they have the smallest population.
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The Scottish Parliament and legislation affecting older people
When the Scotland Act 1998 was passed, it led to the establishment of the first Scottish Parliament since 1707.
Devolution has made a big difference to the way in which Scotland is governed: in its first four-year term (1999-2003), the Parliament delivered 62 different pieces of legislation. This means that, increasingly, there is a marked difference between Scottish legislation and that in other parts of the UK.
The Scottish team keeps abreast of changes by monitoring the Scottish Executive; sitting on appropriate committees at a national level; and conducting lobbying activities.
Current and positive indicators of change include the Older Person's Consultative Group at the Scottish Office, which is improving in influence and impact; and the Forum movement (older people working together locally), which is thriving in Scotland.
The Scottish Parliament now delivers all resources that affect older people including health, transport, policing and social work. Pensions, benefits and taxation are still centrally delivered. Older people in Scotland benefit from:
- free personal care;
- free transport - across all of Scotland from April 2006;
- free installation of central heating.
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Objectives for 2006-7
In Scotland, Help the Aged intends to:
- Enhance the impact and relevance of Help the Aged campaigns, and facilitate greater policy change through undertaking in-depth work. Where necessary, we aim to commission and purchase research regarding prioritised local issues.
- Develop more and better partnership opportunities with appropriate agencies, such as NHS24, ACPOS, The Care Commission, COSLA, Ofcom etc.
- Review development of more local committees to undertake local fundraising activities.
- Introduce and/or pilot new servcies by working with the Help the Aged Community Services Team.
