Almost one in five people in Pendle are of pensionable age. Across the UK, the population is ageing but older people are more active and energetic than ever. Life expectancy has increased by around 11 years since 1948.

Today’s children have the prospect of spending a third of their lives in retirement and of seeing their own children retire. This is good news but it poses new challenges.

As we get older we are likely to need some form of help to get by. About one third of all men and half of all women over 65 will need long term care and support at some point as they age. This can be a real worry.

Last month, the local branch of Age Concern invited me to meet a group of older people and listen to their concerns. They told me that if they need care they want a fair system where their wish for independence and dignity are respected.

Very often, care is provided by friends and family at home. This may mean help with cooking and shopping or much more. Over five million people have caring responsibilities in England and Wales.

But sometimes, staying in their own home isn’t an option. However, moving into a care home can, quite literally, break the bank. I think it is scandalous that so many people are forced to sell their homes just to pay the fees.

The Government wants a “new settlement” between individuals, families and the State where the costs of care are shared. When we are younger, few of us imagine we are going to need social care, so we don’t make any provision. The Government thinks we should.

They say in 20 years time there will be a £6 billion gap in funding social care, just to provide the same standard of care that people get now.

This sounds like a huge sum of money but, in my view, caring for older people should be one of the first calls on the nation’s resources. After all, a staggering £10 billion stays in the Treasury every year in benefits that go unclaimed.

You can take part in the debate by visiting www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk and e mail your views to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The debate runs until the end of November.