As the population ages, the direct financial costs to governments are expected to rise due to the income support and health costs associated with an older population. This has led to an unduly negative, problem-oriented view of population ageing that neglects the contribution of older citizens to the social and economic wellbeing of the nation. This article seeks to provide more balance to the debate about the cost of older people in an ageing society and to estimate the financial value of some of the ongoing contributions of older people that are not measured in national accounts. The article provides estimates of the financial value of the unpaid contributions of older people - both to their family and to the wider community.