This new ILC-UK Think-Piece from Andrew Harrop, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for Age UK, considers the impact of the ‘grey vote’ at the next General Election.

The year ahead will be dominated by votes, politics and elections. Political pundits are already predicting that a clear election result is far from assured with realistic possibilities including a hung parliament, minority government or more than one General Election.

With a year of political turmoil ahead politicians of all parties will be chasing voters. And for any of the parties to secure workable majorities then politicians will
need to respond to the views and aspirations of older voters.

More than any other previous election, the next General Election will be decided by older voters. This is due to two key factors: first with our population ageing rapidly, there are more older voters about; second, older people are much more likely to vote.

At the last General Election, 71 per cent of people aged 55-64 and 75 per cent of those over 65 voted. This compares to just 37 per cent among those aged 18 to 24.