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The public is more worried about chronic illness and disability than anything else, including terrorist attack and climate change.

The independent survey has revealed more than a quarter cite long-term ill-health or disability as their main concern for the future for themselves and their families. A further 9% claim that their biggest fear is old age.

By comparison, 10% are most worried about global warming, 9% about terrorism, and 9% about crime levels.

The findings show that 97% of the public think it is important to support older people to enable them to live in their own homes (see graph).

Two-thirds of those who cite long-term ill-health or disability as their main concern say they would trust social workers to help them or their family.

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services president Anne Williams said changing demographics meant more people than ever before were experiencing social services first hand, either for themselves or their relatives.

This meant social work was no longer the “hidden service” it had been in the past and that more people were seeing for themselves the positive things it could do.

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 Lauren Revans