LONDON, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, aged 50 to 70, are more likely to be in the poorest 20 percent of the population in England, a new study revealed yesterday.
Carried out by the Centre for Ageing Better, with the Institute for Public Policy Research and the University College London, the study said, with the proportion of people from BAME in this age group doubling in a generation, action is needed now to prevent inequalities from deepening.
The research also shows that black men and women in their 50’s and 60’s are more likely to be working, with white people in this age group three times more likely to have retired.
It suggests people from those groups are more likely to be in low paid jobs and/or to have less access to other sources of income, such as pension savings and assets, compared with their white peers.
People approaching later life from BAME backgrounds are also more likely to live in deprived neighbourhoods, with nearly a third of black and a quarter of Asian people, living in the most deprived areas, compared to just 16 percent of the white population in England, said the report.
“Our new research shows, ethnic inequalities are deeply entrenched among the generation approaching later life, with those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds facing disadvantages across many areas of life,” said Anna Dixon, chief executive, of the Centre for Ageing Better.
“As older generations become increasingly diverse, it’s vital that these inequalities are tackled, so that no-one misses out on a good later life. This means better paid work, more affordable and better housing, and targeted measures to reduce ill health for people approaching later life from BAME backgrounds,” said Dixon.
