Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing meeting minutes: 8 October 2025

Professor John Williams, Academia, Aberystwyth University
Professor Paul Willis, Academia, Cardiff University
Barry Stephens, Active Wales
Vicki Lloyd (VL), Age Cymru, Chair
Faye Patton (FP), Care and Repair Cymru
Andrew Hinchliffe, Cymru Older People’s Alliance (COPA)
Yvonne Apsitis, Cymru Older People’s Alliance (COPA)
Cllr Leo Thomson, Local Authority Age Friendly Network, Cardiff Council
Brian Godsell, National Pensioners Convention
Roon Adam, Race Equality First
Rachel Bowen, Office of the Older People’s Commissioner
Suzanne Kearsley-Evans, Older Person’s Representative
Lyn Cadwallader, One Voice Wales (Town & Community Councils)
Sarah Capstick (SC), Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Dawn Jeffery, Welsh Women’s Aid
Amal Beyrouty, Women Connect First
Emma Harney, Welsh Government
Shyam Vining, Welsh Government
Nik Cilia, Welsh Government

Formal apologies

Councillor Hayley Gwilliam, Local Authority Age Friendly Network, Swansea Council
Rachel Luxton, Older Person’s Representative

Vicki Lloyd noted that the actions from the last meeting (4 June) regarding the creation of a Housing Working Group and the Ageism Working Group are ongoing and are on the agenda.

The annual update of the Delivery Plan that is linked to the Strategy for an Ageing Society has been delayed due to the work to evaluate the Age Friendly Communities programme. A more in-depth review of the Delivery Plan will be undertaken as it marks 4 years since the plan’s launch. There are no plans to re-draft the Strategy for an Ageing Society, which continues to be recognised internationally as a strong cross-government framework.

A task and finish group will be convened in early 2026 to finalise a new version of the Plan, drawing on the evaluation of Welsh Government’s age-friendly funding.

The evaluation of the Age Friendly Communities programme is progressing well. There is lots of great work being undertaken by the local authority age friendly network and the evaluation is helping to demonstrate its value. It is hoped that the evaluation will be completed by the end of this calendar year.

Last week, on the International Day of Older People, the Minister for Children and Social care announced continued funding for the Age Friendly Communities Programme for 2026 to 2027.

There has been turnover among age friendly officers across Wales which has impacted their membership on Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing (MAFA), a review and potential rotation of membership is planned to ensure that both stakeholder groups remain integrated.

Action

• officials to establish a Task and Finish group in early 2026 to finalise a new delivery plan
• officials to review membership of the forum, with particular emphasis on fair representation from the local authority Age Friendly Leads

The Minister confirmed the continuation of funding for the Age Friendly Communities programme with £1.1 million to be allocated to local authorities in 2026 to 2027. 

The Minister also emphasised:

• the impact of small investments in improving older people’s well-being and social connections;
• the need for year-round support, not just on special occasions;
• Wales’ leadership in age-friendly strategy, recognised by UK Government Westminster committees and the World Health Organisation;
• the importance of sharing and scaling successful initiatives to avoid duplication and maximise impact.
• Lyn Cadwalladr addressed the group and highlighted the preventative benefits of community action led by town and community councils. Examples included:
  • warm hubs, food projects, befriending clubs, and home maintenance services
  • the critical role of local councils in delivering low-cost, high impact support
  • structural barriers in urban areas, where community councils are less prevalent, limiting engagement with ethnic minority communities

Barry Stephens framed his discussion within the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and Healthier Wales, advocating for early intervention and prevention to improve well-being and ensure the sustainability of services. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act also underpins this approach, requiring public bodies to work collaboratively and focus on long-term, preventative measures.

The closing discussion highlighted calls for better inclusion of ethnic minority older groups, suggestions for outreach through cultural and faith centres and reflections on the reliance on food banks and warm hubs, with calls for societal recovery and better publicity of Wales’ achievements. The question was also asked whether local authorities are delivering value for the £50,000 allocated to them, expressing that some communities local authority actions have not had a noticeable impact, while the local Community Council are very active within the same communities.

Action

• Barry Stephens and Amal Beyrouty to meet and discuss how Active Wales and Women Connect First could be more joined up

The Ageism Working Group was reconvened for a meeting on 16^th September. The group discussed the refinement of the Big Lottery bid, emphasising the need to strengthen and share existing activities (not create new ones), and to improve evaluation methods, especially for well-being, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. 

A refined bid will now be written to include strength-based and intergenerational elements and to also integrate the findings from Harry Lightfoot’s research paper.

Another meeting will be scheduled before Christmas to review progress and finalise the proposal.

Action

• officials to arrange the next meeting of the Ageism Working Group prior to Christmas

The first meeting of the Housing Working Group was held on 30^th September. The group agreed to develop a position statement on housing for older people, focusing on mainstream housing rather than specialist accommodation, and to consider issues such as poverty, health, community assets, and the growing number of older people in private rented accommodation.

Actions were set for members to clarify objectives, review existing evidence and reports, involve wider stakeholders, and arrange meetings with Welsh Government colleagues to inform future policy recommendations on housing for older people.

The 6^th National Survey produced by Age Cymru was published in August. Key findings once again focussed on the same or similar areas:

• physical health decline
• cost of living pressures
• access to services
• digital exclusion
• loneliness and isolation

Whilst much has and is being addressed within policies and services there is still significant improvement to be made.

A link to the survey can be found on Age Cymru's website.

Sarah Capstick alerted the group to Fire and Rescue home safety visits and agreed to share information with the secretariat to forward to members.

Action 

• Sarah Capstick to send secretariat information on Fire and Rescue home safety visits and secretariat to share with members