• About this study
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Social exclusion of older people

Identifying older people experiencing multiple disadvantage

About this study

The experience of exclusion can be particularly acute in later life. The broad aim of this research was to measure the patterns of different indicators of social exclusion among older people and to examine the key risk factors of social exclusion in older age.

Potential policy impact

This research informed the Labour Government's programme of action set out in the Social Exclusion Unit's report 'A Sure Start for Later Life - Ending Inequalities for Older People'. We suggested that policy needed to focus on 6 key areas. They were:

• people with physical and mental health problems;
• people with problems of place (living alone and living in the social rented sector);
• people with problems with transport; the particular experiences of the oldest old;
• those living on lower incomes; those over 50 but under pension age who are unemployed.

This study also had implications for policy aimed at societies most vulnerable people, regardless of age. Our findings highlighted the need for local strategies, focused explicitly on addressing the problems faced by the multiply excluded, co-ordinated across providers such as local government, the NHS, the voluntary and private sector.

Methods

The study uses secondary analysis of the 2002-3 data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), which is a large-scale survey of people aged 50 and over living in England.

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