This report presents an analysis of data collected from the General Household Survey (GHS) from April 2001 to March 2002 relating to people aged 65 and over. The General Household Survey (GHS) is a multi-purpose continuous survey carried out by the National Statistics, which collects information on a range of topics from people living in private households in Great Britain. The GHS provides a rich source of information about people aged 65 and over.
Information was collected from people living in private households and therefore excludes those in communal establishments such as residential or nursing homes which only counts for 4% of people aged 65 and over. The survey asked people aged 65+ about their living circumstances, their health, their ability to perform a range of domestic and other tasks, and the use they make of health and social services. The information collected has enabled the GHS to present regular snapshots of older people's lives and to examine how these have changed over the years.