As I travel round the country and talk to people, again and again they say to me “Oh, things are so uncertain. Life is changing so fast. No-one knows what is going to happen next.”
Well, there is one thing that will surely happen to most of us.
We shall grow old.
And when we do, we shall find ourselves in a new, and sadly, sometimes a less friendly world. [end p1]
In the past, when old, we could count on our families to be at our side.
Many of us still can today.
But too often you hear people say: “It's the State's responsibility” .
Preserve me from the State when I'm young and fit! Preserve me still more when I'm old and frail! [end p2]
That is why we owe such a debt of gratitude to organisations such as Help the Aged.
That is why I am pleased to be with you today, speaking at your Annual General Meeting, after your successful and impressive year.
May you be as active and successful in—still—a good many years time … when I come to draw my old age pension! [end p3]
The world of the elderly can be, as I have said, sometimes a less friendly world.
And few of us in our youth or in middle age give much thought to it.
I wonder how many people outside this hall today know; … . … . that over two-thirds of the budgets of our Social Service Departments are spent on caring for the elderly; … . that the vast majority of the chronically sick and disabled are also elderly; [end p4] … . that, on top of all this, the number of elderly people in our population is rising dramatically! Whereas population projections regarding numbers of children are suspect and constantly have to be revised, projections about the numbers of the elderly are much more reliable because the people are already living.
Let me give you one example.
Over the next twelve years in Warwickshire those aged 75 or over will increase by a third.
This is the age group that needs most help! [end p5]
I tell you that a lot more can be done to make the lives of these people easier—and happier. And it is not being done.
I shall be specific.
Housing in our country seems to be one of our shared miseries, for old and young alike.
I have been told that, in Britain, we have more square footage of housing per head than most European countries … and more homelessness! [end p6]
Too many communities are uprooted by town planners, and the families ‘decanted’—what a truly horrible, but typical word—into new homes. (They would call them ‘housing units’, I suspect).
But … . for the elderly? All too little purpose-built housing.
The vast majority of the elderly live in their own house. But their families have grown up. Their house or flat is too big. [end p7]
Many don't want to move into Old People's Homes.
These are, incidentally, increasingly expensive.
They would dearly love to move to specially built houses or flats, perhaps where there will be a warden; at least the surroundings will be friendly.
But can they? All too seldom. [end p8]
They find themselves stuck in too big a house. Down the street young families in one room are desperate.
Let me add here that I know of the work done by Help the Aged last year.
A record, with 979 flats finished and £20 million worth of building starts planned for 1975.
But I would ask more planners—and Housing Associations—to follow your example: [end p9]
To build more houses and flats specially designed for old people.
We all know that elderly people often need help.
And here I would say how much I admire the work done by the Home Help Service.
Now the Home Help Service has grown through the efforts of devoted workers. [end p10]
All sorts of interesting things are happening in the Home Help field. But they are patchy. The more exciting ideas must be made known and available to all. [end p11]
Meals on Wheels bring great comfort to many old people. But if they live in some parts of our country, well, there just aren't any meals on wheels!
Let me tell you that it costs a lot more, in upheaval as well as in cash, to admit an old person into residential care, than to make sure that they have meals on wheels. [end p12]
There is something else that the elderly also need. (Indeed we all do). This is enough money for their needs.
But the case of the elderly is, by nature, different.
The old person often can't earn a living. [end p13]
And, even when he or she might want to earn something, there is the problem of the earnings rule.
There are several issues involved in this.
All of them have been known, here and there, to raise the temperature.
So let me take them one at a time: [end p14]
Let me speak first of the impact of inflation on all of us, but especially on the elderly.
Inflation is moving towards the 25 per cent mark. And as it does so, we move into uncharted seas.
No-one knows what pressures this will bring on all of us, on our families and our plans.
What we do know is that any savings we may have put away for our old age are melting away like snow in the sunlight. [end p15]
What we do know is that the rates bill and the water bill and the heating bill and the food bill bring a shudder to most of us.
When I do the shopping for my family and think how much I spend in a week, and compare it with how much I spent a year ago, it's a relief that my Denis Thatcherhusband is working and earning a salary. And I actually get paid too!
But what about those who are not earning? [end p16]
What about those on fixed incomes? The one-parent families, the out-of-work, the sick? What about the pensioners?
With this unchecked inflation, they are the ones at risk, the ones that truly suffer. [end p17]
Inflation, which is anxiety to you or me, may be life or death to an old person. [end p18]
It has been reported by Age Concern, I understand, that, even with the new increases, pensions have still slipped back to October 1973 levels.
What a nice phrase “slipped back” is! How little it says of the extra struggle to keep warm, that it may conceal.
Of course pensions should be reviewed every six months.
This was our plan. [end p19]
And the rate of inflation was lower then too.
If the Government can't control inflation, then it must protect our old age pensioners by reviewing pensions every six months. [end p20]
And now a problem that concerns many people, judging by their letters.
Our older folk often prefer to shop at the small neighbourhood store, because it's closer. Or because they can buy smaller portions of butter or sugar or bacon there.
Then all too soon the new heavy contributions which the self-employed have to make to national insurance may affect them too and increased rates especially on commercial premises [end p21] may affect the future of the local shop. They may find it difficult to carry on.
And this will bring distress to all those who have worked in them and built them up.
And distress to the countless old age pensioners throughout the country who make their daily trip to their local shop.
We tried out best in Parliament to change the tax on the self-employed and we had a plan for rates. But we couldn't do what we wanted, as we don't have a majority. [end p22]
Now it may not have escaped your attention that a few minutes ago I mentioned the earnings rule.
Indeed I truly do not believe that there is a single rule that has caused such outrage, coupled with such bewilderment, among any group of people.
Outrage, because to them it seems so unjust.
Bewilderment because so few pensioners understand it anyway. [end p23]
I would make three points:
First: When inflation is eating into one's budget, surely this is not the time to discourage extra earnings.
Second: When our country so badly needs self-reliance, surely this is not the time to discourage extra effort.
Third: When we know that the shock of retirement can be unbelievably hard to bear, surely, in all humanity, we should al low people to continue to work.
As you will know, last year we said that the earnings rule should be relaxed… . and abolished when we could afford it. [end p24]
Since then, in the recent legislation, we forced through an amendment, which now enables pensioners to earn up to £20 each week without any loss of pension, instead of £13 as before.
Now I say to you that the next Conservative Government will abolish it entirely, root, stock and branch over the normal lifetime of a Parliament.
There are those who have always said “Oh, you can't do that. It would cost too much!” —and there are times when we have said it ourselves. [end p25]
But I do not believe that they have taken into account the increased productivity and incomes that would be the result.
They have not costed the saving in health—and therefore in costly welfare services—for elderly people whose happiness and well-being lies in continuing a part time job.
So we shall abolish it. [end p26]
I said that old people need enough money.
There is something else they need almost as much.
Companionship. Friendship.
Loneliness for the elderly is an enemy.
Loneliness is well-nigh as destructive as cold or hunger.
That is why I pay a tribute to the Voluntary Services in our country. Not only the elderly, but many of us, owe a great debt to them. Among these voluntary services I would, of course, include Voluntary and Christian Service. [end p27]
The help and comfort they give to the elderly is crucial. To expect the staff of the Social Service Department to meet this need is to ask too much. They are dedicated men and women, usually over-worked.
But the elderly need time and patience and friendship. With it, all problems can be overcome. Without it, little else is worth having.
Many parts of our country have voluntary visiting schemes. These are being developed together with the voluntary agencies.
We must welcome them and help them grow. I know that in this I have the support and help of all of you here today. [end p28]
This is demonstrated so clearly by the newspaper YOURS, which last year reached a million circulation. It is only another example of how HELP THE AGED does, in fact, help the aged. [end p29]
Finally, I want us to raise our eyes from problems in our country and look around the world.
We have all seen on television the horrifying and heart-rending scenes from Vietnam.
It always seems to be the young—and the old—who suffer most.
Wretchedly, we seem powerless to help.
But that is why I was cheered up by HELP THE AGED's declared intention to extend their work into other countries across the world. I welcome that. [end p30]
And for us, the Conservatives, as you may have noticed, we are playing our part in helping our country to stay in the European Community.
There are many reasons why we believe that Britain should remain in Europe.
You may well hear some of them in the next few weeks!
The Common Market aid programme is larger than that of Russia… .or China… .or America. Surely we would not wish to be left out of this tremendous effort.
Let me finish by saying again that few things in life are certain. But one thing is sure—that we shall, most of us, grow old. [end p31]
As we grow old, we enter a new and sometimes a less friendly, sadder world. But it need NOT be so.
More can be done to make the lives of the elderly easier and happier.
HELP THE AGED is doing much.
But more can be done … by all of us.