If you are childless, who will look after you in old age? That's the issue under the spotlight this week in the York 50+ Festival

SUE Lister knows what it is to be like to be ageing without children. And she is not alone.

It is estimated one in five people aged over 50 have no children, which has been dubbed a demographic ticking timebomb.

As health and welfare cuts bite, more older people than ever are relying on family to help them with their care or advocate on their behalf. But who will help that growing band of the population growing old without family support?

Sue, from York, is in her 70s and is childless through choice. She set up the local branch of Ageing Without Children (AWOC) two years ago with about 30 members. Today, that number has almost trebled. "It’s becoming more and more obvious that being AWOC is part of the loneliness and isolation picture and needs to be put on the public agenda as soon as possible," says Sue.

To that end, Sue has helped organise a discussion event on the issue as part of the York 50+ Festival this Friday. On the panel will be Kirsty Woodard, UK founder of Ageing Without Children, as well as the Lord Mayor of York, Barbara Boyce, and MP for York Central Rachael Maskell.

The particular problems facing older people without family are numerous, says Sue, who was among the AWOC members who took their cause to Parliament earlier this year. They met Lord Best, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People.

"We took down a whole file of stories from AWOC York people," says Sue. "It is a real snapshot of what's going on across the country. We really need it on the agenda as soon as possible.

"We aim to get the government to stop attacking all its services to people because it assumes everybody has children or family to look after them. Well, no they don't."

There are a myriad of reasons why people are without children, says Sue. They may be single, or infertile, homosexual, or their child may have died or moved far away from home. Society can be harsh on the childless she adds. "One of our members was called a selfish cow."

Local MP Rachael Maskell is taking part in the panel debate because she says it is important to bring the issue to light.

She is chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Older People and Ageing but says the AWOC problem is hardly registering in the corridors of power. "Despite our ageing population, the interest in parliament is miniscule.

"It is really important we focus on this issue because if you don't have any children, who will be your advocate?"

She would like to see a UN Convention for the rights of children be replicated for older people.

"It is a hidden issue and not discussed. Society is based on the family unit but lots of people are isolated and do not have next of kin."

The AWOC York panel discussion will take place on Friday between 3pm-5 pm at the Novotel, Fishergate. Entry is free.

For more about AWOC, visit: awoc.org.

The full programme for the York 50+ Festival is at: yorkassembly.org.uk/y1/Festival/