Welsh Government urged to address growing challenges facing Wales’ rising older population

Age Cymru, the national charity for older people has launched its agenda for the next Government ahead of the May Senedd elections, urging the parties to address the “crisis people don’t see.”

By 2030, it’s estimated that there will be over 1.3 million people in Wales aged over 50. That will represent more than a third (40%) of the population. Older people in Wales are feeling the continued effects of the cost-of-living crisis, the aftermath of COVID and the increasing isolation felt as more services and communities move online.

Age Cymru’s 2025 annual survey found that 46% of older people struggled with the cost of living over the past year, with 62% making significant changes to their spending – including cutting back on heating, food, and essential purchases.

Half of those surveyed reported difficulty getting GP appointments, with waits of four weeks or more becoming commonplace. Meanwhile, more than half of those trying to access social care found it difficult or very difficult to get the support they needed.

Consequences

Digital isolation remains a huge issue in Wales and is twice that of the UK average, with 31% of over 75’s having no internet access at home. With most services and information now primarily accessible online, this has real consequences.

The charity has set out seven key calls for the next Welsh Government, including easier access to health services, reliable and available access to transport and inclusive access to services and information for the digitally excluded.

Terry Lemington, 72, from south Wales said when caring for his late wife, he wasn’t told of support initiatives that could have improved her care and standards of living in her final years of life.

“It wasn’t until 10 weeks before my wife passed away that I was told I could have had additional support to help me care for her. This also included a stairlift to support her around the house which in the end, was due to be fitted on the day she passed away.

Terry also doesn’t drive and said that public transport in his local area is limited.

He added: “Right now in Wales it feels like older people are pushed to the margins. It’s as if you retire, and so no longer have something to contribute and so are left behind. But we have so much to contribute and still want to be an active part of our local town – but with everything being online, we are cut off from our own communities.

Moral

CEO of Age Cymru, Victoria Lloyd said the action needed was not just a moral one, but was also crucial to support a growing Wales, and that stories like Terry’s are sadly too common in Wales.

She added: “Progress has been made with the Welsh Government’s ‘Age Friendly Wales’ strategy, but there remains much more to be done. We’re calling on all the political parties canvassing for people’s votes this year, to read our manifesto, and ensure older people are considered when they are making their policies and promises. Not just for the future of older people in Wales, but for the future of the nation itself.”