Age UK exposes the heartbreaking challenges faced by older people in the cost of living crisis

neverland has launched its first work for Age UK with a campaign to show how some older people face agonising challenges this winter.

The campaign highlights the sensitivity and expertise with which Age UK helps, providing older people with practical solutions and reassurance. The campaign is inspired by real stories that Age UK has heard through its free and confidential Advice Line – open 365 days a year, which answered more than 200,000 calls last year.

The campaign is a series of 60” and 30” films directed by Molly Burdett of Spindle. Burdett is one of the industry’s most exciting new directors after being named best new director at the 2021 Kinsale Sharks, and winning a Glass Lion for her ‘Have a Word’ campaign for the Mayor of London in 2022.

neverland worked with Age UK to develop this campaign against the context of one of the most difficult winters many older people will have ever experienced, as they try to make their fixed incomes stretch to cover the essentials at a time when prices are soaring.

In the 60” launch film, we see three older people seemingly happily going about their lives with the action set to the northern soul classic ‘Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy’ by The Tams. But we soon realise that all is not what it seems as one of the three’s electricity meter runs out, bringing an abrupt stop to the upbeat music.

In a harrowing rug pull, we begin to understand the reality of the situations each of the characters faces: lack of companionship, struggling to pay for electricity, and despair at the prospect of being unable to afford the heating, plus the acute distress they feel at being in these situations.

The films end with one of the characters calling Age UK’s Advice Line for help, followed by the new campaign line: ‘Know what to do’. The intention is that this will encourage older people in difficulty and their families to seek out information, advice and support from the Charity, online, over the phone or by letter or email, as they prefer.