Elderly Britons bearing the brunt of a strained health and care system, report finds

An Age UK analysis released this week warns that elderly Britons are bearing the brunt of a health and social care system under unprecedented pressure. The charity notes that as the number of older people rises, too many are living with poor health for longer and facing delays in getting help. The analysis finds men can expect only about 10.1 years of good health after age 65 and women about 11.2 years, with those in poorer areas faring worse.

Officials say the number of full-time equivalent general practitioners has not kept pace with the aging population, and fewer older people receive social care support than a decade ago. That gap often leaves older patients relying on friends and family to help with daily tasks such as washing, cooking, and cleaning.

Age UK also highlights a troubling gap in mental health care. Among people aged 65 to 74, about 14% have a common mental health condition, but two-thirds of those with clinically significant symptoms are not receiving treatment, rising to 78% for those aged 75 and over.

Older people report difficulty accessing dental services; the GP Patient Survey for 2025 shows 16% of respondents aged 65 and over had been unable to get a dentist appointment in the last two years, and 28% said the wait for a GP appointment was too long.

Age UK calls on the government to take several steps: reduce emergency hospital admissions for conditions that could be managed in the community to under 100,000 a year; guarantee that all older people diagnosed with severe frailty in the community receive a structured medication review and a falls risk assessment; and cut hospital discharge delays back to around 4,500 on a typical day from the current level around 12,000.

It also urged the commission into adult social care, led by Baroness Louise Casey, to publish its final report earlier than the 2028 timeline.

Separately, a Royal Society for Public Health study found more than a third of adult social care services in England fail to support people to live healthier lives. The study used Care Quality Commission inspections to assess how well services encouraged healthier choices and identified health risks through GP referrals or checks; only 462 of 1,097 providers were rated good or higher on these metrics.

The Nuffield Trust think tank has warned of an unfair luck of the draw in NHS funding for continuing healthcare, noting wide regional variation. Continuing healthcare eligibility fell from 57,216 at the end of June 2017 to 52,008 at the end of December 2024, a decline of 9.1%.

In response, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government acknowledges past failures and is taking steps, including commissioning Baroness Casey to outline an independent roadmap to a National Care Service, with initial steps due next year. The department cited a funding boost of more than £4 billion, funding for 15,000 home adaptations for disabled people, the biggest uplift to the Carer’s Allowance threshold since the 1970s, and a first ever Fair Pay Agreement to improve recruitment and retention in the workforce.

Health experts say urgent reform is needed to curb delays, improve access to services, and reduce disparities that leave older people with fewer options. Without swift action, inequalities could widen as the system remains under strain.