Exploring the difference made by Support at home 11 1 Policy context he UK’s population is ageing and people are living longer. The number of people aged 65+ years old is expected to rise Tby nearly 50% in the next 20 years, 1 reaching over 16 million. This is a human success story and should be celebrated. Older people are assets to society and the economy, with much to contribute. But equally, as a consequence of this ageing population, more people have long-term health conditions putting more pressure on our health and social care services. Within the context of increasingly limited public funds and rising health/social care needs in the population, these services are already struggling to cope. In 2007, the Department of Health published Putting People First, a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care aiming to ensure that people who need care and support have choice, flexibility and control to live their lives the way they wish. The report set out plans to reform public services with a focus on personalisation, enabling people to plan their care tailored to their own needs for independence, wellbeing and dignity. 1 National population projections, 2010-based, Office for National Statistics, 2011