As we all know, the population of the UK is getting older. By 2037, almost a quarter of the population will be over 65. This is a wonderful thing – many people are living and staying healthy for longer – but it carries with it a significant set of challenges. Not least of those is how the social care and health systems meet the increasing demand for their vital services.

That's why we at Independent Age were delighted to hear three respected former health ministers – Norman Lamb MP (Lib Dem), Stephen Dorrell (Con) and Alan Milburn (Lab) – calling for a commission to address these challenges last week.