Helping More of the Older People Who Need Us the Most
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Strategic report Helping more of the older people who need us the most Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 1 | Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 Strategic report We are Age UK. We exist to help the older people who need us. Over the next three years we’ll focus on helping the older people who need us the most. We can’t do it without your help. It’s that simple. No help. No care. No money. No one to turn to. A life led by too many older people. Help Age UK help them. A friend. A champion. A voice. In person, in communities. On the phone. Online. We are Age UK. Thank you. This report describes the activities of Age UK, our subsidiary charities and trading companies. We also refer to the activities of our local and national charity partners where we fully or partly fund those activities. As independent charities, members of the Age UK network publish their own Annual Reports and Accounts. 2 | Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 Welcome to our Annual Report Thank you At Age UK we’re only able to make later life better for older people because we act together with others. We rely on hundreds of thousands of individuals. Those who choose to donate to us, fundraise for us, or remember us in their wills. Those who stand with older people as campaigners, volunteers, employees or decision‑makers. And those who look out for or care for the older people in their lives. Thank you for your generosity, your determination, and your compassion. We rely on donations from our corporate partners, trusts, foundations and public sector bodies, and the staff who work for them, as well as the skills and expertise they provide in kind. Thank you for your trust, your enthusiasm and your support. Our funders are listed on pages 139 and 140. We rely on the Age UK network of local and national partners in the UK and, through Age International, a global network, as well as like‑minded organisations up and down the country. Much of what we achieve depends on these partnerships. We are deeply grateful to our partners and their collective impact on millions of older people’s lives. Thank you for your friendship, your collaboration and your commitment to our shared purpose. Finally, thank you to older people, for your contribution to our society, past, present and future. A contribution that Age UK and our donors will continue to celebrate, and be grateful for. Thank you from all of us at Age UK. Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 | 3 Strategic report ‘I’m proud to support Age UK – I was sad to read of the number of elderly people in the UK that can go week to week without seeing anyone. Age UK are actively finding ways to make our older friends and family in the community feel included and important in their later years and it’s just fantastic.’ Clare, Age UK supporter 4 | Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 Contents Contents Overview Message from Age UK’s Chair and Chief Executive 6 Strategic report How we work 12 What we achieved this year 14 How we raised our money 18 How we spent our money 19 Age UK’s three‑year strategy 20 Charitable activities: • We campaign and research 24 • We provide information and advice 30 • We transform health and care services 36 • We deliver wellbeing programmes 42 • We support the Age UK network 48 • We work internationally 52 Our people and our organisation 58 Fundraising income 62 Trading income 66 Financial review 68 Funding and finance 72 Risk management and assurance 74 Governance 76 Trustees, Executive Directors and Professional Advisers 80 Further information 82 Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities 83 Independent auditors’ report Report to the members of Age UK 84 Financial statements Group statement of financial activities 90 Balance sheet 92 Group cash flow statement 93 Notes to the financial statements 94 Thank you 138 Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 | 5 Introduction Introduction from the Chair and CEO Age UK’s fundamental purpose is The 2019 General Election to promote the wellbeing of older At the time of writing the political people. During another year in flux continues, with the general which the attention of the public, election campaigns of the main politicians, and decision makers has parties all seeking to resolve, in often been diverted, we have one way or another, the Brexit remained true to that purpose question. While it is undeniable and continued to achieve much that there are implications for for older people thanks to the vital older people in respect of Brexit contribution of our partners, funders, (and on which we have asked ten volunteers, staff and, of course, questions of Government), there older people themselves. is a lot more at stake for older people and about which those vying for success at the ballot Our achievements this year box remain unclear. In Age UK’s This year, in partnership with the Age UK network of local and national partners, we have again given General Election manifesto, practical support to over 7 million people, through we have called on the next information and advice, services and wellbeing programmes. We have had unprecedented success Government to invest in older in giving publicity to the issues affecting older people people and the public services through our No one should have no one to turn to and TV licence campaigns, and shaped the future provision on which they rely. We want to of health care for older people by influencing the NHS see every political party bring long‑term plan. And we have worked internationally forward policies to help our older to respond to emergencies in Indonesia, Bangladesh and Malawi, improved diabetes care in Kyrgyzstan, population, those most in need and continued to call for a UN Convention on the above all, to enable more people rights of older people. You can read about our many achievements on pages 24 to 57. to have the dignified, secure and fulfilling later life we want for ourselves and for those we love. 6 | Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 Introduction The situation facing older people year has exposed the existence of care deserts, where However, the reality is that while Age UK has had a for some people accessing appropriate care is virtually good year in terms of our achievements, the same impossible. So, many of the older people suffering cannot be said for millions of older people, some of today are still not getting the help they need, when whom are the most disadvantaged in our society. they need it and have little hope of doing so. In last year’s report we began by expressing deep The older people of tomorrow are at risk of being concern about the situation faced by the 1.5 million served little better or worse. We are pleased that older people in England who face a daily struggle the NHS has published its long‑term plan, and that a in meeting their most basic daily living needs, like commitment has been made to provide the billions getting out of bed, washing and dressing. The things of pounds in funding required to match its welcome that most of us take for granted, that we might not aspirations. It should mean that older people, and even recognise as ‘needs’ at all. their families, receive the health and care support A year on, we are concerned, though not surprised, they need more quickly and in a more person‑centred that the situation has not improved for these older and joined up way, which is vitally important. people, and that in some respects it is worse than But, it remains hard to see how some of these we’d thought. The shortfall in funding of the current improvements are possible without an equivalent care system continues, despite welcome cash long‑term plan for social care, a ‘national care service’. injections from the Government (both underway and The six times promised and six times delayed Green promised) social care spending per head of the adult Paper has yet again failed to materialise, and may population had fallen by 17.5 per cent in real terms never do so given the ongoing political tumult. between 2010/11 and 2017/18, and our research this Report of Trustees and Annual Accounts 2018/19 | 7 Strategic report The delay has profound consequences: our research Our new strategy suggests that a total of 81 older people die every It is within this context that Age UK’s Trustees and day waiting for care. This must not continue. We Executive have developed Age UK’s strategy for the at Age UK, acting together with older people and next three years. We have, as you would expect, sector partners, will continue to campaign hard to paid considerable attention to the challenges faced encourage MPs to stop sitting on their hands (see by the millions of older people who are our possible page 27). beneficiaries, those in charitable need. We have Health and social care are not the only areas of reflected too on the ever‑changing environment in considerable concern to us and the older people we which we operate and how it affects our work, the serve. At a time when poverty among over 65s is turbulent politics and societal polarisation, cuts to rising, after a long period of decline, the consequences public services, and a reduction in our own income.