Over the past three years, Age UK has conducted six waves of research into older people’s health
and care. Initially, this was focused on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we heard about
how much older people were struggling with accessing healthcare, managing their own physical
and mental health, taking part in community life and caring for others. This had a huge impact on
both physical and mental health, as older people were unable to get the care and support that they needed.

This paper sets out the basis for various NHS charges. It covers exemption criteria and explains variations in the devolved nations. The paper examines recent changes to NHS charges, including the introduction of a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescription prepayment certificate in 2023. It also discusses proposed changes to the charging regime, such as increasing the qualifying age for free prescriptions to align with State Pension age and calls to extend the list of medical exemptions from prescription charges.

A summary of statistics on suicide in the UK. Includes trends by gender, age, English region, and deprivation.

Growing numbers of people in the UK suffer from dementia. Because dementia costs are often associated with social care needs, as opposed to medical treatment, those with dementia are often required to fund the cost of their own care. This has led to calls for more parity between health and social care where dementia is concerned. The government has committed to significant reform of the funding thresholds for social care in England, but these are now not expected until 2025.

The umbrella term musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions covers a wide range of short- and long-term health conditions affecting the joints, bones, muscles and associated body tissues. Different types of MSK conditions have different causes. Some MSK conditions result from injury and repetition of certain movements, especially those associated with particular working practices. Some auto-immune or inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also cause MSK symptoms.