“Taking stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people?”

Alliance of Age Sector NGOs call for an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People, a State led campaign to counteract ageism, and a resourced national action plan to address loneliness and social isolation.

22 September 2026; The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, representing eight leading older
persons organisations*, is calling on Government to appoint an Independent Commissioner
for Ageing and Older People, and to relaunch a refreshed National Positive Ageing Strategy
with a strong implementation and monitoring plan and a ring-fenced budget.

According to ‘Taking stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people?’, a
review launched today by the Alliance, implementation of policy relevant to our growing
older adult population continues to be patchy or inconsistent with much, it would appear,
being deferred to the work of the Commission on Care for Older People and, in particular, the
role of a yet to be established cross-departmental group.

The review sets out the extensive range of policy commitments relevant to our ageing
population as described in key Government publications and provides a summary of the
progress made in the various areas.

This important review:
Provides a ‘deep dive’ analysis of 17 thematic areas relevant to the lives of older people and
an ageing population.
Focuses in on 27 commitments made in respect of older people and rates the Government on
its efforts in each of these areas.
Illustrates how many of the commitments set out as part of the relevant policy frameworks
have yet to be meaningfully advanced or benefited from coordinated implementation.
Reinforces the rationale for the establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing
and Older People.
Our older adult population will be the fastest growing demographic of the 21st Century and
must be centrally catered for as part of any ambitions and priorities of government now and
in the future.