The BBC's social affairs correspondent Kim Catcheside reports on the schemes

He was speaking at the official launch of 28 pilot schemes called Better Government for Older People, involving central and local government, private and voluntary sectors, and older people.

Mr Wilson, who is aged 61, said: "Victor Meldrew - I haven't a clue what he would think.

Richard Wilson, catchphrase: "I don't believe it!"

"He is a bit of a moaner, I suppose. But the thing about Victor is that if he knew about schemes that would help older people ... he would be able to channel his anger into better things."

Mr Wilson added he was "a great believer in older people carrying on, keeping going, doing whatever they want to do.

The pilot schemes aim to improve the delivery of services to older people; giving older people more say and celebrate the contribution older people make to society.

They will focus on improving public services in areas like health, social services, education, transport and leisure, and giving older people a voice and recognising the contribution they can make to society.

The schemes include a project to cut crime in Solihull, West Midlands and improving access to education in Lambeth, south London.

At the same time Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that a new strategy group will overhaul how the government forms policies which affect the elderly.

The new group's first job will be to carry out an immediate audit of government policy to identify initiatives for older people and how they can be better coordinated.

An inter-ministerial group considering issues affecting older people will be chaired by the Social Security Minister John Denham and will include ministers from several departments, including Minister without Portfolio Peter Mandelson.

Elderly have 'useful' role to play

One in five people today is over 60

The pilot schemes will run initially for two years, at a cost of £800,000, paid for by local authorities and the five lead partners - the Cabinet Office, Age Concern, the Anchor Trust, the Carnegie Third Age Programme and the Warwick University Local Authorities Consortium on Ageing Strategies. Further sponsorship is coming from outside bodies.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Dr David Clark said the number of people in the UK over the age of 60 was set to rise from one in five today, to one in four by 2010 to one in three by 2025.

"The government sees that older people have an incredibly useful part to play in society as a whole," he added. We don't see it in a negative way. We don't see pensioners and retired people as recipients. We see them as participants."

More advice will also be published in a document entitled Passport 50+: Your Practical Guide to the Law, available in bookshops and on the Internet from June 23.