Reports and briefings
We publish reports and briefings on a vast range of topics, including loneliness, age-friendly banking and social care.
Active communities
We believe that everybody should be able to play a full role in our communities, whether this is through work, volunteering or civil action, helped by age-friendly neighbourhoods, good transport links and digital technology that meets our needs.
2023
Policy briefing: Facts and figures about digital inclusion and older people
Applying for a Blue Badge and other council services if people are not online
2021
Digital inclusion and older people – how have things changed in a Covid-19 world?
2020
2019
Estimating needs report, November
2018
The Economic Contribution of Older People (398KB)
Everything is online nowadays (800 KB)
2017
Painful Journeys in-depth policy report, December (2 MB)
Creating a 'Career MOT at 50' discussion paper, October (493 KB)
Making intergenerational connections - evidence review, June (1.4 MB)
Age-friendly business report, February (495 KB)
2016
Housing benefit cuts and supported housing briefing, January (109 KB)
Older people and power loss: floods and storms report, February (568 KB)
Free bus pass briefing, February (270 KB)
Zero hours contracts briefing, May (524 KB)
Age-friendly places guide, June (282 KB)
After the EU Referendum: Policy priorities for older people briefing, September (213 KB)
Transport infrastructure briefing, September (188 KB)
Helping 50+ jobseekers back to work report, November (1,091 KB)
2015
Age Opportunity, A best practice guide for recruiters briefing (114 KB)
Life Offline: What life is like for older people who don’t use the internet report, May (3,106 KB)
The Future of Transport in an Ageing Society report, June (690 KB)
Later life in a digital world, December (1,060 KB)
Earlier reports
A means to many ends: Older workers' experiences of flexible working, September 2012 (3,767 KB)
The impact of the age regulations five years on briefing, October 2011 (353 KB)
Care and support
We're looking at how wider public services and society at large ensure that everyone is able to stay as independent as possible within their community.
2022
Why can't I get care: Older people's experiences of care and support, November 2022 (PDF, 3 MB)
2020
Time to bring our care workers in from the cold, November 2020 (PDF, 3 MB)
2019
2018
'Why call it care when nobody cares?' September 2018 (PDF, 7 MB)
Behind the Headlines: the battle to get care at home, June 2018 (PDF, 300 KB)
2017
The health and care of older people in England report, February 2017 (2.1 MB)
Social care and what MPs can do briefing, July 2017 (PDF, 253 KB)
2016
Discharging older people from hospital briefing, June 2016 (PDF, 275 KB)
2015
The cost to meet unmet social care needs of older people in England, September 2015 (PDF, 386 KB)
The end of formal adult social care report, December 2015 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
2014
Services for older people - what works, March 2014 (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Earlier reports
Care in Crisis report, 2014 (PDF, 751 KB)
Supporting older carers, September 2013 (PDF, 489 KB)
Diversity in older people and access to services evidence review, 2012 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Health care quality for an active later life report, May 2012 (3.9 MB)
Invisible but Invaluable: Campaigning for greater support for older carers, October 2010 (1.6 MB)
Equality and human rights
We seek to raise awareness of diversity among the older population, promote equality and ensure everyone’s human rights are respected.
2024
A hidden crisis: older people and deprivation of liberty in care homes
Justice Denied: Reforming the Windrush Compensation Scheme
2020
Domestic Abuse Bill - Age UK Briefing Note - Second Reading (HC)
Human rights and older people during COVID-19
2017
Human rights of older persons and their comprehensive care briefing, July (215 KB)
2016
Diversity in older age, Centre for Policy on Ageing rapid review: Disability, May (1173 KB)
Diversity in older age, Centre for Policy on Ageing rapid review: LGBT, May (787 KB)
Diversity in older age, Centre for Policy on Ageing rapid review: Older Offenders, May (615 KB)
Diversity in older age, Centre for Policy on Ageing rapid review: Minority religions, May (1,303 KB)
Earlier reports
Digital inclusion evidence review, 2013 (1 MB)
Diversity in older people and access to services, 2012 (1.2 KB)
Ban on Age Discrimination in Services briefing, October 2012 (47 KB)
Health and wellbeing
We're working to see more and more of us living well in later life, with access to high quality health and care services when we need them.
2024
Age UK Report – I just feel that no one cares, March 2024
Age UK Report – We have to take it one day at a time, January 2024
2023
Age UK Briefing – State of Health and Care of older people, July 2023
Age UK Report – Fixing the foundations, February 2023
2021
Loneliness and Covid-19, December 2021
The Impact of COVID-19 on older people's mental and physical health: one year on
2020
Health, care and cash: Improving the lives of older people in Red Wall England, October
2019
Age UK Briefing – State of Health and Care of Older People, July 2019
2018
Promising Approaches to Living Well with Dementia, February 2018
2017
Painful Journeys in-depth policy report, December 2017
The health and care of older people in England report, February
2016
Predicting the prevalence of loneliness at older ages report, January (1,171 KB)
Excess winter deaths briefing for MPs, June (398 KB)
Hidden in plain sight: The unmet mental health needs of older people report, October (1,089 KB)
No one should have no one report, October (636 KB)
2015
Improving later life for people with sight loss, RNIB summary (708 KB)
Improving later life for people with sight loss, RNIB full report (1,229 KB)
Promising approaches to reducing loneliness and isolation in later life report, January (1,546 KB)
Improving later life: Vulnerability and resilience in older people report, April (629 KB)
Lonelines in later life evidence review, June (881 KB)
Loneliness at local and neighbourhood level report, July (279 KB)
The Age UK almanac of disease profiles in later life, October (2,146 KB)
2014
Understanding the lives of older people living with frailty report, March (1,626 KB)
Cognitive decline and dementia evidence review, October (767 KB)
NHS Five Year Forward View report, October (912 KB)
I'm Still Me: A narrative for coordinated support for older people, December (1,405 KB)
Services for older people - what works, March (1.6 MB)
Earlier reports
Improving Later Life: Understanding the oldest old, February 2013 (1,225 KB)
End of Life Evidence Review, October 2013 (646 KB)
Health care quality for an active later life, May 2013 (3,937 KB)
Securing dignity in care for older people in hospitals and care homes, June 2012 (974 KB)
Money matters
We cover state and private pensions, welfare benefits, poverty and financial disadvantage, banking and financial services.
2024
Benefit take-up and older people, January 2024
2023
Tackling the cost of living crisis for older people: What the Government must do, July 2023
Poverty in later life briefing, June 2023
'You can’t bank on it anymore' – The impact of the rise of online banking on older people, May 2023
Waiting for an age: The real impact of raising the State Pension age, January 2023
2021
Behind the Headlines: Short-changed – how the decline of cash is affecting older people
Ethnicity and financial disadvantage in later life
2019
Fixing the freedoms – helping smaller savers get the most out of the pension reforms
Behind the headlines: the age gap tax
Struggling on – experiences of financial hardship in later life
Benefit changes for mixed-age couples, February
2018
Women's pensions, expenditure and decision-making in retirement
The Age UK 'Your Money MOT' impact evaluation
Financial resilience during retirement – Summary (600 KB)
2017
Financial resilience during retirement – Stage one: Literature review, November (854 KB)
Spring Budget briefing, March (176 KB)
Financial Guidance and Claims Bill briefing, July (173 KB)
Triple lock briefing, July (383 KB)
Autumn Budget Briefing, September (425 KB)
2016
Age-friendly banking report, April (2,070 KB)
Age-friendly banking infographic (46 KB)
Bank branch closure briefing, August (170 KB)
Attendance Allowance survey report, September (710 KB)
Autumn Statement briefing, October (507 KB)
Working later, waiting longer: The impact of rising State Pension age report, November (2,874 KB)
2015
The Winter fuel payment briefing, April (358 KB)
Age UK's Chief Economist's report, Summer (902 KB)
Attitudes to a secondary annuity market survey report, July (387 KB)
Financial abuse evidence review, November (748 KB)
Earlier reports
Poverty in later life evidence review, 2014 (763 KB)
Neighbourhood effects and pension protection amongst ethnic minorities, September 2014 (351 KB)
Building an income for retirement report, September 2014 (5,733 KB)
Ethnicity and occupational pension membership in the UK report, September 2014 (527 KB)
Pension receipt in the UK, September 2014 (319 KB)
Transitions in older age, December 2013 (316 KB)
Problem Debt Among Older People, June 2013 (456 KB)
Financial Services Commission
Age UK held a commission on financial services. The commission looked at how to improve financial resilience in later life with the aim of setting out a roadmap of actions to be taken by the industry, regulators and Government.
The Financial Services Commission report sets out our roadmap for industry, Government and regulators to take to improve the financial resilience of our ageing society.
Financial resilience in later life report, June (981 KB)
Accompanying the report are supporting pieces of research and provocations:
Generation R report: risk, resilience, ready for ageing? June (674 KB)
The financial resilience of the recently retired, Pensions Policy Institue report, June (399 KB)
What next for generation R? Resolution Foundation briefing, December (328 KB)
Resilience of recent retirees, Just Retirement briefing, January (256 KB)
RImproving income for recently retired, Mercer briefing, June (PDF 33 KB)
Safe at home
- We’re working to ensure that everyone can live in accessible, warm and energy-efficient housing, free from scams and crime.
2024
Cold at home: How winter cost of living pressures continue to impact older people, February 2024
2023
Distributional impact of differing proposals for introducing an Energy Social Tariff, June 2023
Age UK Energy Social Tariff Public Policy Report, March 2023
2022
Estimating the cost of a Social Tariff for energy use at home, October 2022
Estimating the impact of rising prices on older households in the UK in 2022-23, May
Estimating the impact of the April 2022 energy price cap rise on older households in England
2019
Home Truths: Rebutting 10 myths about building accessible housing
2018
Applying the brakes, March (834 KB)
2017
Older people, fraud and scams briefing, October (2.5 MB)
2016
Are we ready for the next crisis: Older people and power loss, floods and storms, February (568 KB)
Scamming and its effect on vulnerable individuals briefing, September (239 KB)
Ageing in squalor and distress: older people in the private rented sector, October (667 KB)
2015
Only the tip of the iceberg: Fraud against older people, April (1,329 KB)
Gearing up: Housing Associations’ responses to tenants with dementia, October (303 KB)
2014
Housing in later life, July (1,529 KB)
Earlier reports
Affordability of retirement housing in the UK, September 2012 (1,035 KB)