- Conference
- 2008 Retired Members' Conference
- Date
- 30 May 2008
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that 3.5 million older people in the UK live alone due to factors which include bereavement and social isolation. Women are particularly affected as they are more likely than men to be widowed e.g. 3 in 5 women aged 75 and over live alone.
Conference further notes that for single persons or persons travelling alone, travel, holiday or hotel accommodation often attracts a single supplement for such services. Conference believes that the practice of single supplements has a disproportionate effect on older persons for the reasons outlined above.
This can best be illustrated by research undertaken by Help the Aged, which found that 1 in 4 older people have not had a holiday for more than 5 years. In addition, a survey carried out by Age Concern revealed that for 4.1% of pensioners a holiday was “simply unaffordable”.
Conference therefore calls upon UNISON’s National Executive Council to pursue the matter with ABTA and any other appropriate bodies involved in the hotel, travel and holiday industries in an attempt to secure an end to this practice of charging single supplements.