Better Government for Older People Programme

The Programme’s Objectives

The Better Government for Older People programme, which was set up in 1998 to run for two years and finished in December 2000, was a unique partnership between central and local government, the voluntary sector, the academic world and older people. Partners in the national programme were the Cabinet Office, Age Concern England, the Anchor Trust, the Carnegie Third Age Programme, Help the Aged and the University of Warwick. The Local Government Association also played a very active role. The programme has also benefited greatly from the input of an Older People’s Advisory Group, which is made up of older people involved in the local pilots.

The programme’s aims were to improve public services for older people by:

The local pilots

The bulk of the programme’s work has been carried out in 28 local authority-led pilot projects. The pilots involve a wide range of partnerships with central government and the voluntary, private and community sectors, as well as older people themselves. Some were wide-ranging and focused on developing a comprehensive strategy for older people's services. Others were more specific, looking at areas such as health care, education, transport, housing and leisure as well as other issues such as volunteering and contributing to the community.

The pilot projects have been run by:

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
Coventry City Council
Devon County Council
Hartlepool Borough Council
London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
London Borough of Harrow
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
London Borough of Lambeth
Middlesbrough Borough Council
City of Newcastle upon Tyne
North Yorkshire County Council
Nottinghamshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Sheffield City Council
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Warwick District Council
Watford Borough Council
Waverley Borough Council
Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council
City of York Council
Scottish Borders Council
South Lanarkshire Council
Stirling Council
Isle of Anglesey County Council
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
North Down Inter-Agency Partnership

The programme has been developing new ways of working across traditional organisational boundaries and creating innovative solutions to problems. It has also been providing evidence of the benefits of taking a strategic approach to meeting the challenges presented by an ageing population. This work has provided the basis for the recommendations contained in

All Our Futures Report

All Our Futures – the report of the Better Government for Older People Programme, was published on 15 June 2000. Its main recommendations for action relate to the need to:

Building on Partnership - the Government's response to the Better Government For Older People Programme, was published on 30 January 2001.  It pays tribute to the Programme’s success and the energy and constructive approach of those involved in it. It makes clear that the Programme’s recommendations will help to shape future policy development and service delivery and commits the Government to act to tackle age discrimination, promote better engagement with older people, bring about better decision-making, improve services for older people and support more joining-up.

Although the Programme has now come to an end, the BGOP Network, a forum for local authorities, other service providers and older people and their organisations, continues. It offers access to best practice and advice and support in developing effective solutions to the challenges presented by an ageing population.

To obtain printed copies of All Our Futures, contact:

The Better Government for Older People Programme
Wolverhampton Science Park
Wolverhampton WV10 9RU
Telephone: 01902 824270

To obtain printed copies of Building on Partnership, contact: