53% of all British drivers are unable to buy a vehicle without finance or bank loans, according to a brand new study; despite a feeling of distrust around the process. The revealing statistics are part of a larger piece of research commissioned by used car buying service, ChooseMyCar.com, looking into the financial processes around buying a car. Surprisingly, despite many saying they were wary of car finance and the sales process, the results showed that the majority of car buyers were unable to complete a purchase without relying on financing options.

The numbers showed that:-

• There was no difference between both men and women in terms of needing to use finance (53% in both cases)
   

• The younger demographic were most likely to need to use finance, with 69% of 18 to 34 year olds admitting to relying on it.
   

• 60% of 35 to 54 year olds also admitted to needing finance, but just 37% of the over 55s.
   

• The study also found that nearly half of those looking at car purchases would struggle to even find a deposit. 41% of those surveyed admitted that they would not be able to provide a deposit, further limiting their options when buying a car.
   

• The tricky situation was further compounded by the fact that many drivers were confused about the technical terms around car financing (such as HP, PCP and APR) and a lack of knowledge around their credit score and the options available to them.
   

• The stats showed that close to 50% UK drivers are unaware of their credit score, and would worry about what it was and how it affected their ability to buy a car on finance. Perhaps surprisingly, 43% of drivers admitted to not having a clue what their credit score is; with 32% admitting they were concerned about it.

A new study, commissioned by Retirement Villages Group (RVG), has exposed persistent and prevalent ageism in the way older people are represented in British media and popular culture. The study assessed the language and images used to describe and depict older people in a representative sample of more than 40 newspapers, lifestyle magazines, adverts, and popular soaps. It found themes of ill health, vulnerability and frailty dominated the newspapers, with 43% of newspaper extracts analysed describing older people as:- "vulnerable" and 24% using the terms:- "frail, vulnerable or ill."

In advertising, older people are typically shown in a domestic setting (18 out of 25 ads reviewed), in familial, non working roles and, in lifestyle media, they are typically featured in ads about deteriorating health or inheritance.

5 in 25 of the adverts assessed featured an older woman in pearls, 16 in 25 showed an older person sitting down, with 19 in 25 adverts using an armchair or sofa. "Most older characters in soaps are styled in:- cardigans, woolly jumpers, barber jackets and chinos"

In popular soaps such as:- Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Eastenders, older people were found to be often portrayed as:- "out of touch," "at logger heads" with younger generations or as:- "a bit of a joke." Overall, Coronation Street was deemed the best example of positive representation of older people amongst the soaps, although most were found to style older characters in ways which reinforce negative or narrow stereotypes about how people look and dress in later age.

Additional research amongst the British public found that the presentation of older people on these channels is highly influential to the way they are perceived in society. Around 1 in 4 people cite media as a contributing factor to their views on old age (26% TV and 23% newspapers). 67% agree that media representation of older people creates unhelpful stereotypes and 92% stated they do not think that older people tend to be depicted in a fair and accurate way in the imagery used in media and advertising.

Retirement Villages Group (RVG), who commissioned the study carried out by agency Boomer and Beyond, asserts that if ageist stereotypes continue unchallenged, they will act as a barrier to the critical changes that are needed to support our growing, ageing population to integrate and live positive, independent, and active lives for longer.

Will Bax, CEO of Retirement Villages Group, said:- "It's time to address the blinding misperceptions regarding older people in our society. I see an endemic stigma towards ageing and old people, which too often acts as a barrier to the essential change which could unlock many of the social, economic, and political challenges we face as a nation. We think that these stereotypes are getting in the way of opportunities for thousands of our elders to live independent, active, connected lives for longer. I believe passionately in the power of positive ageing, so we are today calling out the ageists and asking for a more realistic, fair portrayal of older people in our communities. I consider myself very lucky to spend lots of time in the company of our incredible residents; so many of whom have lived extraordinary lives, which don't stop at retirement. It's high time we smashed the stereotypes and put our elders back where they belong; as the beating heart of our communities."

A blueprint for change shows that in 2021, there were more than 11 million people aged 65 and over living in Britain (up to 18.6% of the population) and increasingly they expect more from their later years, wanting an active, sociable, independent lifestyle for longer.

RVG believes it has part of the answer and today launches the Thrive Living collection; a transformative model for the future of integrated retirement living that has been designed in consultation with over 65s about what they want from later life.

Primarily built in or near town centres, on sites crying out for regeneration, Thrive Living communities will house contemporary apartment design and offer shared outdoor space for use by people locally, as well as a range of independent restaurants, retailers and wellness centres including leisure facilities to bring people together and make a positive contribution to the local economy. All the schemes will be raising both environmental and industry standards by achieving whole life net zero.

RVG has committed to building 40 Thrive Living communities in the next 10 years, creating 5000 new homes, with a development value of over £2bn.

RVG opened the 1st ever integrated retirement community in the UK in 1981, and continues to operate 16 villages around the country, with 2000 homes. They have today also announced a £100m investment in their existing villages, designed to optimise active, independent living opportunities for the 2000 residents who have already chosen to live there.

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