Council of specialists set up to improve the lives of the UK’s ageing population through innovative tech and products
A new council of advisers has been announced by the UK Government which will guide the Government on how to use innovations in technology, products and services to improve the lives of the UK’s ageing population.
Alongside the new council – the UK Longevity Council – the Government has also revealed the new Business Champion for the Ageing Society Grand Challenge.
With the number of people aged over 65 set to nearly double to more than 20 million in under 50 years, the Government’s Ageing Society Grand Challenge strives to utilise the power of innovation to meet the changing needs of an older society.
The UK Longevity Council will help deliver this aim by bringing together business leaders, health experts and others from society to advise Government on what measures can be introduced to help people lead healthier lives and support the shifting demographic.
The council will act as a forum for interactions and discussions between policymakers, industry, researchers and the public in the area of ageing.
It will also advise on a variety of topics, including different approaches to work, finances, housing, communities and health; exploring new technologies and products; and what the Government’s priorities should be in regards to the ageing population.
Andy Briggs, Business Leader and Insurance Industry Expert, has been appointed as the Government’s new Business Champion for the Ageing Society Grand Challenge and will co-chair the UK Longevity Council with Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock.
To support the Grand Challenge, the Government will shortly open the competitions for the £98 million Healthy Ageing Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to develop attractive products and services that help people to live more independent lives as they grow older.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: “Keeping people healthy and independent is absolutely central to our vision for our healthcare system. Living longer should be celebrated but we need to think seriously about how we can adapt society more widely to meet older people’s needs.
“We must use our industry’s incredible abilities in technology, design and innovation in new, thoughtful ways to support everyone to age well.
“Business has a vital role to play in providing inclusive products and services that are attractive to our older population and can enable everyone to stay living at home for longer and keep active. I look forward to working with Andy Briggs and the rest of the Longevity Council to help the UK lead the way in thinking creatively and originally about ageing.”