SAGA COMMENTS ON WHICH? REPORT EXPOSING INSURERS' “AGEIST” ATTITUDES.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

May 22, 2011.

SAGA COMMENTS ON WHICH? REPORT EXPOSING INSURERS' “AGEIST” ATTITUDES.

 TRAVEL INSURANCE MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR OLDER PEOPLE TO ENJOY TRAVELLING AT ANY AGE

- SAGA NEVER USES AGE AS A BARRIER TO INSURANCE.

Responding to a Which? report which said pensioners face a struggle to get travel insurance - with 25% of insurers refusing to cover people who are over 65 - Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s lifestyle group Saga, said:

“We believe the over 65s should not be denied travel insurance on the grounds of their age. Such ageist attitudes are often a product of sheer ignorance. Saga knows that older people have never been more adventurous, never been fitter, and are no more or less likely to make an insurance claim than somebody half their age. Our customers enjoy adventurous holidays in good health and with the peace of mind of insurance cover too.

“What makes 25% of insurers believe that at 64 years of age somebody is a reasonable insurance risk, and at 65 they’re uninsurable? If insurers are refusing to cover the over 65s, they are missing a business opportunity. Saga is happy to provide travel insurance, without using age as a barrier, and our customers can enjoy great cover and peace of mind for their travel, at all ages.

“We routinely provide cover for people in their 80s and 90s, and we didn’t hesitate to provide cover for a mature and adventurous lady who went to Italy to celebrate her 100th birthday."

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

Twitter @SagaRosAltmann

Twitter @Press_Relations

AV: OVER-50S UNCONVINCED BY YES CAMPAIGN

EMMA SOAMES

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

April 21, 2011.

AV: OVER-50S UNCONVINCED BY YES CAMPAIGN.

Older people are far more likely to vote for no change to the UK voting system, with older men in the higher socio-economic groups being most likely to say “leave the system as it is”.

Over-50s lifestyle group Saga polled 11,801 customers over the age of 50, and the signs are the “Yes to AV” campaign has a lot of work to do with older people.

“It could be tough. Both our research and the research of other organisations indicates that older people are far more likely to vote on any issue than younger people, and older people are far less likely to change their mind,” said Emma Soames, Editor-at-Large of Saga Magazine.

Saga’s survey shows 50%of respondents think the “first past the post” electoral system currently used to elect MPs to the House of Commons should not be replaced with the “Alternative Vote” (AV) system. Around a third (32%) think it should be replaced with the AV system, and just under one in five (18%) say they don’t know.

Panellists in Scotland (41%) and Northern Ireland (50%) are most likely to support the introduction of the AV system. This is likely to be due to the prevalence of different voting systems in these two nations’ parliamentary or assembly elections.

People surveyed by Saga said that if the AV system were introduced, more than two thirds (68%) of respondents think that coalition governments between parties would be more likely than under the first past the post system. 59% also think it will be more likely that smaller parties will be represented in parliament under AV.

A quarter (24%) of respondents think it is more likely that MPs will be held to account under such a system, however three in ten (29%) think it is less likely that the party or parties in government will keep to their manifesto commitments.

Full survey report available.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk

SAGA: WHO CARES MOST FOR OLDIES - OVER-50S OR UNDER-21S?

EMMA SOAMES

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

April 18, 2011.

WHO CARES MOST FOR OLDIES – OVER-50S OR UNDER-21S?

A confusing picture has emerged over who cares more for the older generations – over-50s or under-21s.

The confusion arises from Aviva’s latest Real Retirement Report which states under-21s would put more cash into caring for elderly relatives – if they could afford it – but over-50s organisation Saga says that most familial carers are women over 50 who will find a way of paying.

“It’s a little bit apples and bananas, but while Aviva says under-21s would give up a greater proportion of their income to finance their older relatives, our research says something very different,” said Emma Soames, Editor-at-Large of Saga Magazine.  

"The Aviva report suggests that older people are happy to pass off the burden of supporting their elderly relatives, and that the young are the real philanthropic generation.  

“But, in stark contrast, our experience shows that most familial carers are women over the age of 50.  So whilst they are realistic about not being able to support their elderly relatives financially, they dig deep on both their physical and emotional reserves to provide the one-to-one care the most vulnerable in our society really need.

“The report, however, does highlight the potential for families to 'club' together to save for future care needs for the family as a whole, a point that Saga raised in its submission of evidence to the Dilnot Commission on Care Funding.

“This makes it clear that clubbing together, or wider incentives to encourage saving for care, should be a key strand in any recommendations arising from Dilnot.”

  
Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk

OVER-50S ARE GRUMPY, UNFRIENDLY AND “PAST IT”? NOT SO, SAY THE WHIPPERSNAPPERS.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

April 10, 2011.

OVER-50S ARE GRUMPY, UNFRIENDLY AND “PAST IT”? NOT SO, SAY THE WHIPPERSNAPPERS.

Dr Ros Altmann video

Oldies’ perceptions that younger people pigeonhole them as grumpy, unfriendly and “past it” are misplaced, according to independent research commissioned by over-50s lifestyle group Saga.

The research compares the perceptions 18-24s have of over-50s with what older people believe younger people think.

“The overall message is that perhaps crossing the boundary to 50 is nowhere near as life-changing as myth, Grumpy Old Men and Victor Meldrew would have it,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga.

“Around 67% of over-50s believe 18-24s perceive them as ‘past it’, but the reality is that just 18% of 18-24s actually have that perception. And while only 11% of over-50s think younger people perceive them as friendly, the reality is that around 29% of 18-24s do actually think older people are indeed friendly.

“We’ve decided that all this is becoming such an issue we’re putting up a £10,000 reward for the video that best dispels the ’50-is-old’ myth.

“There are more myths to be shattered too: just 17% of over-50s think 18-24s consider them knowledgeable; however, the truth is that 42% of 18-24s perceive oldies as being great fonts of knowledge.

“Perhaps understandably, 18-24s are largely unenthusiastic about turning 50, with 39% of younger adults saying 50 seems old, but only 8% of over-50s agreeing once they reach and pass that milestone. 60% of over-50s consider 50 to be ‘just another birthday’, while only 16% of younger people dismiss it in the same way.”

The video competition is open to anybody over the age of 16 who lives or studies in the UK.  For example, you may be younger than 50:  As you think about the future, what do you hope life will be like when you turn 50?  What are you looking forward to?  You may be older than 50:  in a similar way, put yourself in the shoes of someone around 25 today, and think about their world when they will be 50.  

Video submissions: Full details on http://www.saga.co.uk/being50

The research was conducted by YouGov for Saga, sampling 1,148 UK adults on February 22 and 23, 2011.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

THE CHALLENGE: CHANGE PERCEPTIONS OF THE CLUB WITH 21 MILLION NOT-SO-GRUMPY NOR PAST-IT MEMBERS.

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

March 22, 2011.

THE CHALLENGE: CHANGE PERCEPTIONS OF THE CLUB WITH 21 MILLION NOT-SO-GRUMPY NOR PAST-IT MEMBERS.

Video – Dr Ros Altmann.

Over-50s group Saga has laid down a challenge to change the perception of over-50s in 120 seconds.

There are 21 million members of the over-50s club in the UK, and the aim is to create influential videos about life at 50, and beyond, to strengthen understanding between generations and change how people think.

And the most persuasive video – regardless of whether shot on a mobile phone or a broadcast standard camera - could win a budding video-maker £10,000.

The video challenge follows independent research commissioned by Saga, which shows that oldies believe younger people pigeonhole them as grumpy and past-it - even though younger people often have far more positive attitudes to older people.

Saga's research compares what 18-24s actually think of over-50s with what older people believe younger people think, and it is clear that there is much misperception.

“We're looking for two minute videos on the theme of what it means to be 50, and which dramatically challenge perceptions,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga. (Video: Dr Ros Alrmann)

“The overall messages through TV like Grumpy Old Men and Victor Meldrew do not accurately represent what younger people really think of being over 50.” said Dr Altmann. 

“67% of over-50s believe 18-24s perceive them as ‘past it’, but the reality is that only 18% of 18 -24s think that.

“Age groups do have very different views about reaching a 50th birthday and whether this makes you 'old'.

“39% of 18-24s say 50 seems old, but only 8% of over-50s agree.

60% of over-50s say 50 is ‘just another birthday’, compared to only 16% of younger people.”

The competition is open to anybody over the age of 16 who lives or studies in the UK.  For example, you may be younger than 50:  As you think about the future, what do you hope life will be like when you turn 50?  What are you looking forward to?  You may be older than 50:  in a similar way, put yourself in the shoes of someone around 25 today, and think about their world when they will be 50.  

Full details on http://www.saga.co.uk/being50

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS -

Note 1. The research was conducted by YouGov for Saga, sampling 1,148 UK adults on February 22 and 23, 2011.

Note 2. Regardless of the age of respondents to the survey – whether 18 or 80 – 58% considered younger people think 50 is old.

Note 3. 29% of 18-24s consider the over 50's are friendly, but only 11% of older people think the younger ones feel that.

Note 4.  42% of 18-24s perceive oldies as being knowledgeable, but  just 17% of over-50s think younger people consider them to be fonts of knowledge.