Age UK has encouraged Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to commit to tackling the shortfalls in funding and personnel in the NHS and social care.

A letter addressed by charity director Caroline Abrahams informed the Tory candidates of a recent survey asking people aged 65+ about their priorities for the next prime minister.

Of the 14,021 older people who responded, more than half (57%) said the restoration of the pension triple lock from April 2023 and help with the cost of living crisis was what they wanted to see the most, followed by action on the NHS and social care (25%).

When Age UK carries out research with older people, strengthening the NHS and social care is usually the respondents’ top priority, so the pre-eminence of cost of living issues this time demonstrates just how anxious many are about the prospects for their finances as the prices of everything they buy continue to rise.

The letter urged Sunak and Truss to both make an unequivocal public statement about their commitment to restoring the triple lock and giving emergency support with energy bills to see older people on low incomes through the autumn and winter.

“The way the cost of living keeps rising is a nightmare for us all, but especially for people on low incomes, among them millions of pensioners,” Abrahams said. “Every day, the news about inflation seems to get worse – it’s no wonder some older people have told us they have switched off the news because they can’t bear to hear any more.

“We are constantly hearing from older people about their worries concerning the performance of the NHS (waiting lists and problems accessing their GP), and the immense challenges many face accessing any form of reliable, decent quality social care.

“Millions of older people depend on the NHS and social care to live independently and with dignity, so it is deeply worrying for them, and their families, if they cannot rely on these essential services when they need them the most. How the system is resourced for this to happen is first and foremost a matter of government, but it is important that Ministers have a workable plan we can all believe in to raise the very substantial sums required.

“The current government has repeatedly rejected calls for a fully joined up Health and Social Care workforce strategy but surely that’s what we need. I hope the next administration will take a more enlightened view.

“Meanwhile, lots of older people are stuck in hospital beds when medically fit to go home, losing physical capacity & becoming frustrated and despondent as their lives are put on hold. It’s an utterly miserable situation for everyone and it’s hard to see it improving unless and until the government accepts that the root cause is the poverty pay in home care, and acts to give care workers a substantial pay rise.

“None of the care plans they have announced so far address this elephant in the social care room. Whoever emerges as our next prime minister, it is essential they understand the grave situation our acutely pressurised NHS and social care services are in, and that they take decisive action quickly to help turn things around.”

Age UK is urging any older person struggling with their bills to get in touch, in case they’re entitled to some extra financial support.