Category: Health & Wellbeing

Staying healthy and active in later life

What Is a Lasting Power of Attorney — and Why Does Everyone Over 55 Need One?
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you choose — right now, while you are well — who will manage your finances or make health decisions for you if you ever lose mental capacity. Without one, even your closest family members have no automatic legal authority to act on your behalf. Setting one up costs £92 per LPA and is one of the most important things you can do for your future security.

What exactly is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

An LPA is a legal document registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) that gives one or more people — your chosen “attorneys” — the authority to act on your behalf. Crucially, you must set it up while you have mental capacity. Once you have lost capacity, it is too late to create an LPA.

There are two types:
- Property and Financial Affairs LPA — covers your bank accounts, bills, property, investments, and benefits. Your attorney can manage these either if you lose capacity or, if you choose, while you still have capacity (useful if you find certain tasks difficult).
- Health and Welfare LPA — covers decisions about your medical treatment, care arrangements, and day-to-day matters like diet and daily routine. This one can only be used once you have lost mental capacity.
Most people set up both. They are separate documents and each requires a separate registration fee.

What happens if you do not have an LPA?

This is the part most people do not think about. If you lose capacity without an LPA in place, your family cannot simply step in. To manage your finances or make health decisions legally, they would need to apply to the Court of Protection to become your deputy. This process typically takes nine to twelve months, costs upwards of £1,000 in fees and legal costs, and requires ongoing annual reporting to the court. It is slow, expensive, and stressful at what is already a difficult time.

How much does an LPA cost to set up?

The registration fee is £92 per LPA, paid to the Office of the Public Guardian. So both LPAs together cost £184 in fees. If your income is below £12,000 per year, you may qualify for a reduced fee or a full exemption — ask the OPG about fee remission when you apply.

You can complete the paperwork yourself using the free online service at lastingpowerofattorney.service.gov.uk. However, the forms are detailed and errors are common — more than 50,000 LPA applications were rejected in 2023/24 due to mistakes. If the document is not signed in the correct order, it cannot be registered. Using a solicitor (typically £150–£300 per LPA) significantly reduces the risk of rejection, particularly for anyone who wants to include specific instructions or restrictions on their attorneys’ powers.

Who should you choose as your attorney?

Your attorney must be 18 or over and, for a financial LPA, must not be bankrupt. Beyond that, the choice is yours — it is usually a trusted family member or close friend. You can appoint more than one attorney and specify whether they must act together (safer but less flexible) or can act independently (more practical for day-to-day decisions).

It is also worth appointing a replacement attorney in case your first choice is unable to act in the future.

Is there a free way to get help with this?

Yes. Free Wills Month runs each March and October, offering people aged 55 and over a free Will drafted by a solicitor — and many solicitors who offer this service will also discuss LPAs at the same appointment. There is no obligation to leave a gift to charity, though the scheme is funded by charities who hope you might consider it. Search “Free Wills Month” online to find a participating solicitor near you.

Key takeaway

Setting up an LPA is not about expecting the worst — it is about making sure the people you trust can look after you properly if the worst happens. The process is straightforward while you are well; it becomes impossible once you are not. If you do not have one yet, visit lastingpowerofattorney.service.gov.uk or speak to a solicitor this year.
11.05.2026
What Rail Discounts Are You Entitled To — and Are You Actually Using Them?
A Senior Railcard costs £30 a year and saves you a third off most UK train fares — it pays for itself in one or two return journeys. But depending on where you live and how old you are, there may be even better deals available, including free rail travel in some parts of England. Here is what exists and how to get it.

What is the Senior Railcard and who can get one?

The Senior Railcard is available to anyone aged 60 or over. It costs £30 for one year (or £70 for three years) and gives you one third off most standard and first-class rail fares across the National Rail network in England, Scotland, and Wales. It also gives a third off most fares for a companion travelling with you.

There is a peak-time restriction on weekday mornings (trains departing before 10am Monday to Friday), but this is lifted at weekends and bank holidays. You can buy the card online at senior-railcard.co.uk or at staffed stations. A digital version can be stored on your smartphone — no plastic card required if you prefer.

What if you are aged 55 to 59?

If you are between 55 and 59, the Senior Railcard is not yet available to you — but there are still options. The Two Together Railcard (£35 a year) gives a third off fares for two named adults travelling together, with no age restriction. If you regularly travel with a partner or friend, it can save a significant amount.

In Scotland, ScotRail’s Club 50 card is available from age 50. It costs £15 a year and gives 20% off off-peak advance tickets bought online. If you travel regularly within Scotland, it is well worth having.

Are there free travel schemes depending on where you live?

Yes — and this is where many people miss out. Some regional transport authorities offer free or heavily discounted rail travel for older residents:
- Merseyside — people aged 60 and over get free rail travel after 9:30am Monday to Friday and all day at weekends. The first pass costs £10; renewals are free.
- West Yorkshire — people aged 60 and over receive 50% off off-peak fares on the local rail network Monday to Friday and free travel at weekends.
- Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, and other metro areas — check with your local transport authority, as concessionary travel schemes vary.
To find out what is available where you live, search for your local transport authority (e.g. “Transport for West Yorkshire” or “Merseytravel”) and look for their concessionary travel scheme.

What about travelling by bus?

The England Bus Pass (officially the Older Person’s Bus Pass) gives free travel on local buses anywhere in England once you reach State Pension age — currently 66. You apply through your local council and the pass is free. It is valid on all local bus services and some rail replacement services. If you live in Wales or Scotland, similar schemes exist but the qualifying age and rules differ slightly — check with your local council.

Any tips for getting cheaper train tickets even with a railcard?
- Book in advance — advance tickets can be up to 80% cheaper than walk-up fares, even before your railcard discount is applied
- Travel mid-week — Tuesday and Wednesday are typically the cheapest days to travel by train
- Split your ticket — buying two tickets for two legs of a journey (e.g. London to York, then York to Edinburgh) sometimes costs significantly less than a through ticket. The Trainline and Split My Fare websites do this automatically.
- Use the 16-25 Railcard trick carefully — some people pair discounts creatively, but always check the terms of each railcard before combining.
Key takeaway

If you are 60 or over and do not yet have a Senior Railcard, it is probably the most straightforward £30 you will spend this year. Buy it at senior-railcard.co.uk, then check your local transport authority’s website to find out whether free or discounted travel is also available in your area.
11.05.2026
Is Your Home Making Life Harder Than It Should Be? How to Get Help Adapting It
Small changes to your home — a grab rail, a stair rail, a lever tap, a walk-in shower — can make an enormous difference to your confidence and independence. The Disabled Facilities Grant can pay for these adaptations up to a value of £30,000, and you do not need to have a formal disability to apply. You just need to show the adaptation would help you live more safely at home.

What is the Disabled Facilities Grant?

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a means-tested government grant administered by your local council’s housing department. It is available to homeowners and tenants alike, and covers a wide range of adaptations designed to help you stay safely in your own home. In England, the maximum grant is £30,000; in Wales it is £36,000.

Despite the name, you do not need to have a registered disability or a blue badge. The grant is available to anyone who has difficulty getting around their home due to a physical condition, whether that is arthritis, a heart condition, a recent fall, or simply the general effects of ageing.

What kinds of adaptations does it cover?
- Grab rails and handrails inside and outside the home
- Ramps to replace steps at entrances
- Widening doorways for a wheelchair or walking frame
- Walk-in showers or wet rooms to replace a bath
- Stairlifts or through-floor lifts
- Accessible kitchen adaptations
- Improved heating systems where the current one affects a health condition
- Hard-wired alarm systems for people who live alone
How do you apply for the grant?

The process starts with a referral to an Occupational Therapist (OT), who will visit your home and recommend what adaptations would help you. Your GP can refer you, or you can self-refer via your local council’s adult social care team. Once the OT has made their recommendations, the council’s housing department takes over and manages the grant application.

One practical tip: waiting times for OT assessments can be several months in some areas. If your need is urgent — for example, following a hospital discharge — ask specifically about a fast-track assessment. Many councils have a process for this, but you may need to ask directly rather than wait in the standard queue.

What if the grant does not cover everything?

If the cost of adaptations exceeds the grant limit, or if you do not qualify for the full amount after the means test, there are other options. Many councils have a Handyperson service that can install smaller adaptations — grab rails, key safes, smoke alarms — free of charge or at very low cost for older adults. Ask your local council or Age UK what is available in your area.

The government also confirmed in 2026 improved access to home safety grants for people above State Pension age, including help with railings, ramps, and heating upgrades. Your local council’s housing team can advise on what additional funding is currently available.

What if you rent your home?

Tenants can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, but you will usually need your landlord’s written permission before work can begin. Most landlords agree — the adaptations improve the property — but it is worth raising it early in the process. If your landlord is uncooperative, your local council’s housing team can sometimes help mediate.

Key takeaway

Many people make do with a home that is quietly making their life harder, not realising there is significant funding available to help. The Disabled Facilities Grant is underused and worth applying for. Start by asking your GP or local council for an Occupational Therapist assessment — it is free and is the gateway to everything else.
11.05.2026
How Do You Get Help with Care at Home — and Who Pays for It?
If you or someone you care for is struggling with washing, dressing, cooking, or getting around at home, your local council has a legal duty to carry out a care needs assessment — free of charge. Depending on your income and savings, some or all of the support may be funded by the council. Many people assume they will have to pay for everything themselves. That is not always the case.

What is a care needs assessment and how do you get one?

A care needs assessment is a free conversation with your local council’s adult social services team. Its purpose is to understand what support you need to live safely and independently at home. Anyone can request one — you do not need a GP referral, a diagnosis, or to be in crisis. You simply contact your local council and ask for an adult social care assessment.

The assessment usually takes place at home and involves a social worker or care coordinator asking about your daily life — what you can manage alone, what you struggle with, and what matters most to you. It typically takes one to two hours. You can have a family member, friend, or advocate present if you would like.

What kinds of support can the council arrange?
- Home care visits — a paid carer comes to your home to help with personal care such as washing, dressing, and taking medication
- Meals at home — hot meals delivered to your door, sometimes known as “meals on wheels”
- Day centres — social activities, meals, and health support outside the home, with transport often included
- Reablement — short-term intensive support (usually up to six weeks, often free) to help you regain skills and confidence after an illness, fall, or hospital stay
- Respite care — short-term cover so that an unpaid carer can take a break
- Equipment and home adaptations — grab rails, shower seats, raised toilet seats, and larger adaptations to help you stay safe at home
Will you have to pay for home care?

This depends on your income and savings. The council carries out a financial assessment (sometimes called a means test) alongside the care needs assessment. If you have savings and assets below £23,250 (the current threshold in England), you may qualify for council-funded support. If you are having care at home — as opposed to moving into a care home — the value of your own property is not included in the financial assessment. This surprises many people and is an important distinction worth knowing.

Even if you do not qualify for council funding, the assessment is still valuable — the council can advise on what services are available locally and help you arrange private care more effectively.

What if the council says your needs do not meet the threshold?

Councils in England use the Care Act 2014 eligibility criteria, which focus on whether unmet needs have a significant impact on your wellbeing. If you are told you do not meet the threshold, you have the right to request a review and to challenge the decision. Age UK can help you do this — call their free advice line on 0800 678 1602. You can also contact your local Healthwatch organisation, which independently monitors health and social care services in your area.

What about support for unpaid carers?

If you are looking after a family member or friend, you are also entitled to a carer’s assessment from the council — separate from the assessment for the person you care for. This looks at your own needs, your wellbeing, and what support might help you continue caring without it damaging your health. Carer’s assessments are free and available to anyone providing regular unpaid care, regardless of income.

Key takeaway

Do not wait until things reach a crisis point. A care needs assessment is free, carries no obligation, and often opens doors to support that people did not know existed. Contact your local council’s adult social services team to ask for one — or call Age UK on 0800 678 1602 for independent advice on what to expect.
11.05.2026
How Much Is the State Pension in 2026 — and Are You Claiming Everything You Are Entitled To?
The full new State Pension rose to £241.30 a week in April 2026 — up from £230.25. But millions of older adults in the UK are not claiming Pension Credit and other benefits they are fully entitled to. This guide explains what you should be receiving, how to check, and where to get free help.

How much is the State Pension in 2026?

From April 2026, the State Pension rates are:
- New State Pension (for people who reached State Pension age after April 2016): £241.30 per week — that is £12,548 a year
- Basic State Pension (for those who reached pension age before April 2016): £184.90 per week — that is £9,615 a year
These increases are driven by the triple lock, which guarantees the State Pension rises each April by whichever is highest: inflation, average earnings growth, or 2.5%. For 2026/27, earnings growth of 4.8% was the highest figure, so that is what was applied.

What is Pension Credit and do you qualify?

Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit that tops up your weekly income if it falls below a certain level. In 2026/27, it tops your income up to at least:
- £238.00 a week if you are single
- £363.25 a week if you have a partner
It is estimated that around 800,000 households in the UK who are eligible for Pension Credit are not currently claiming it. That is a significant amount of money going unclaimed — in some cases over £3,000 a year. Claiming Pension Credit also unlocks access to other benefits, including help with housing costs, Council Tax Reduction, a free TV licence if you are over 75, and help with NHS costs.

How do you check what you are entitled to?

The quickest way is to use the Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK (search “Pension Credit calculator”). It takes about five minutes and tells you immediately whether you are likely to qualify and by how much. You can also call the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 (free, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) — they will check your eligibility and help you apply over the phone.

Age UK also runs a free benefits check service. Call their advice line on 0800 678 1602 (8am–7pm, 365 days a year) and ask for a benefits entitlement check. Many people are surprised by what they have been missing.

What other benefits should people over 55 be aware of?
- Attendance Allowance — if you have a disability or health condition that means you need help with personal care, you may qualify for £73.90 or £110.40 a week. It is not means-tested and does not depend on whether you currently have a carer.
- Council Tax Reduction — your local council may reduce your bill significantly based on income. Apply directly through your council’s website.
- Warm Home Discount — a one-off £150 discount on energy bills for eligible low-income households, applied automatically by energy suppliers each winter.
- Winter Fuel Payment — from 2026, this is means-tested and linked to Pension Credit eligibility. If you claim Pension Credit, you should receive it automatically.
What changed with the Pension Schemes Act 2026?

The Pension Schemes Act 2026 — which received Royal Assent earlier this year — introduces new rules requiring pension schemes to offer members a default retirement income option (known as a “guided retirement product”). This is designed to make it easier for people with workplace pensions to draw a regular income in retirement, rather than leaving them to navigate complex decisions alone. If you have a defined contribution workplace pension, ask your provider what their guided retirement product looks like and whether it suits your circumstances.

Key takeaway

The State Pension increase is welcome, but the bigger win for many people is claiming benefits they are already entitled to. If you have not had a benefits check recently, do one now — it costs nothing and could be worth thousands of pounds a year. Start with the Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK or call Age UK on 0800 678 1602.
11.05.2026
What Are NHS Neighbourhood Health Centres — and How Could They Help You?
NHS Neighbourhood Health Centres are being rolled out across England in 2026, bringing GPs, physiotherapists, mental health support and community nurses together under one roof, closer to where you live. If you manage a long-term condition or simply want easier access to care without travelling to a hospital, this change is worth knowing about.

What exactly is a Neighbourhood Health Centre?

A Neighbourhood Health Centre is a new type of NHS facility designed to bring a wide range of health services together in your local community — rather than requiring you to travel to a hospital or visit multiple different clinics. The Government has committed to opening 250 of these centres across England as part of its NHS 10 Year Plan, with the first sites already open in 2026.

Think of it as a step up from your GP surgery. As well as seeing your doctor, you would be able to access physiotherapy, community nursing, mental health support, pharmacy services, and occupational therapy — all in one place, typically within your own neighbourhood.

Why is the NHS making this change?

The NHS has long recognised that too much care happens in hospitals when it could be delivered closer to home — particularly for people managing long-term conditions like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, or COPD. Hospital appointments are inconvenient, often involve long waits, and can feel overwhelming. For people who have difficulty travelling, they can become a real barrier to getting the care they need.

Neighbourhood Health Centres are part of a wider shift towards prevention and early intervention — catching problems before they become serious, rather than waiting until someone is ill enough to need hospital treatment. For people aged 55 and over, who are more likely to be managing multiple health conditions, this approach could make a significant practical difference.

What services will be available?

While services will vary by location, the NHS guidance for Neighbourhood Health Centres indicates they should offer:
- GP appointments — your usual primary care, but potentially with faster access
- Physiotherapy — for joint pain, back problems, post-surgery recovery, and mobility issues
- Community nursing — for dressings, injections, and health monitoring without a hospital visit
- Mental health support — talking therapies and mental health practitioners based on site
- Pharmacy services — medication reviews and advice from a pharmacist
- Occupational therapy — help with daily living tasks and home adaptations
- Social prescribing — connecting you with local groups, activities, and support services
How is this different from what already exists?

Many of these services already exist in some form — but they are often scattered across different buildings, run by different organisations, with separate referral processes and waiting lists. The key difference with Neighbourhood Health Centres is integration: the teams work together, share information, and can refer you to a colleague down the corridor rather than sending you off with a letter and a six-week wait.

One particularly useful element for people managing several conditions is proactive care. Rather than waiting for you to book an appointment when something goes wrong, staff at these centres are expected to identify people who might be at risk — through frailty assessments, medication reviews, and regular check-ins — and reach out before a crisis develops. This is a meaningful shift from the current system, where many people only interact with the NHS when something has already gone wrong.

When and where will these centres open?

The rollout began in early 2026, with the first centres opening in London and other urban areas. Six sites in London were among the first to be upgraded. The plan is to expand to 250 centres across England over the course of the 10 Year Plan, prioritising areas with the greatest health inequalities.

To find out whether a centre is planned near you, the best starting point is your GP surgery or your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) — the NHS body responsible for planning healthcare in your area. You can find your ICB at NHS.uk by entering your postcode.

What should you do now to make the most of this change?
- Register with a GP if you are not already — Neighbourhood Health Centres work alongside GP practices; being registered is the gateway to everything else
- Ask your GP about the NHS App — it lets you book appointments, order prescriptions, and see your health record online, and will increasingly link to community services
- Request a medication review — if you take several medicines, a pharmacist-led review at a Neighbourhood Health Centre could simplify your regime and reduce side effects
- Ask about frailty assessments — if you or a relative have had falls, feel less steady on your feet, or tire easily, ask your GP about a frailty assessment; these are a core part of what Neighbourhood Health Centres are designed to support
Key takeaway

Neighbourhood Health Centres are one of the most significant changes to NHS community care in a generation. For people over 55 — particularly those managing long-term conditions — they represent a genuine opportunity to get more joined-up support closer to home. Keep an eye on what is opening in your area, and do not hesitate to ask your GP how to access the new services as they come online.
11.05.2026