Towards an age-friendly London: evidence base

Making outdoor spaces and buildings more age-friendly

Older Londoners identified the following priorities for action on outdoor spaces and buildings:

1. Provide more public toilets

There are around 1,500 public toilets in London to meet the needs of more than 8m people – fewer than one per 5,000 Londoners. Nine in ten older Londoners have considered the availability of toilets before visiting a particular place. The trend for the provision of public toilets by local authorities is consistently downward. Older people are more likely to have continence or mobility issues. The lack of public toilets can make them reluctant to travel too far from home for fear of being ‘caught short’. This has an obvious impact on their participation in life outside the home, and decreases the opportunity for physical activity that is important for healthy ageing. It can also increase feelings of social isolation.

There are even fewer public toilets available in the evenings, at night or early in the morning. This has an impact on older people going out in the evening, and older people who work at night.

2. Create more seating and places to rest

All users should be able to move through, rest and relax freely in, facilitate, or take part in activities within public spaces, where these activities are permitted by law and don’t cause a nuisance to others. The needs of particular groups must be anticipated in the planning and management of the space, including shelter and places to stop and rest for older people.

3. Provide better and uncluttered pavements

Older people, especially those with physical disabilities or reduced mobility, are affected the most by cluttered pavements reducing opportunities for physical exercise, social interaction, and access to health promoting goods and services. When making journeys on foot, older Londoners are less satisfied with London’s pavements than other Londoners. Those living with a disability consider the condition of pavements and obstacles on pavements to be a barrier to walking. A wider range of people will choose to walk or cycle if pavements are not overcrowded, dirty, cluttered or in disrepair.

4. Encourage considerate sharing of public space between cyclists and pedestrians

Older Londoners are anxious about being knocked over by cyclists who ride on pavements; and cyclists who do not look out for pedestrians wanting to cross the cycle lane at bus stop bypasses. The latter is a particular concern for people with visual impairments. Older Londoners also say that dockless hire cycles are a further source of pavement obstruction.

5. Improve pedestrian crossings

People’s walking speed declines with age. Older people worry about not being able to cross in time at pedestrian crossings.

6. Ensure older Londoners are fully involved in outdoor space improvement plans

Engagement with local communities should inform how parts of a new space can be used. Inclusive design is a key principle for bringing about better quality designs in new developments. Engagement with relevant user groups, such as older people’s organisations, is an expected component of the Design and Access Statement of a planning application.

Making transportation more age-friendly

Older Londoners identified priorities for transport action in the following order:

1. Keep transport affordable for older Londoners

Older Londoners tend to live in households with low incomes, and London has the highest rate of pensioner poverty in England. Travel concessions can be a lifeline for those older Londoners who live in low-income households. Such concessions enable those on low incomes to access the places they need to go to as part of their daily life; and to enjoy all that the city has to offer. There is a growing need to ensure that transport remains affordable for older Londoners, and that the older Persons’ Freedom Pass is protected,

2. Provide more accessible, inclusive, step-free, and integrated public transport

A more accessible public transport system will improve the journey experience, and make it easier for older people to travel more spontaneously and independently

Inclusive transport addresses the barriers to anyone being able to travel spontaneously with freedom, safety and independence to their destination of choice, so that everyone can experience the benefits that the city has to offer.

In terms of step-free access from the street to a train platform, this is available in 92 Underground stations (one-third of the Tube network), 60 London Overground stations and all Elizabeth line stations. All DLR stations, tram stops and piers are step-free. All of TfL’s buses, and 95 per cent of its bus stops, are wheelchair-accessible. A good public transport experience means making the whole journey, from door to destination, as easy and seamless as possible. It is essential to integrate different public transport services, and to continue improving accessibility and connectivity, to enable Londoners to enjoy confident and stress-free travel.

Making London a city where all Londoners can participate
 

Older Londoners identified priorities for action in the following order:

1. Listen to older Londoners’ views, and provide more civic participation opportunities

In 2021-22 Londoners aged 50 and over were more likely (51 per cent) to have engaged in civic participation in the past 12 months than Londoners aged 16-24 (41 per cent). Civic participation is defined as engagement in democratic processes, both in person and online, including: contacting a local official (e.g., a local councillor or MP); signing a petition; or attending a public rally (which excludes voting).

Whilst older people remain the most likely to register to vote (95 per cent of Londoners aged 50 and over are registered to vote in 2021-22), certain groups within this demographic are under-registered.

2. Explore ways to attract more – and more diverse – older people to volunteering

Older people have traditionally been the backbone of civil society. In 2021-22, among the different age groups, the highest rates of formal volunteering were seen in Londoners aged 65 and over (37 per cent), those aged 50-64 (36 per cent) and those aged 16 to 24 (37 per cent). This was an increase from 2018-19, when 29 per cent of Londoners aged 50 to 64, and 27 per cent of those aged 65 and over, said they formally volunteered. On the other hand, Londoners aged 65 and over were the least likely age group (53 per cent) to volunteer informally (defined as giving unpaid help to other people such as friends, neighbours or other people who were not relatives – this is separate from any help given through groups, clubs or organisations). Rates of volunteering, both formal and informal, varied for different groups of Londoners, with some being less likely to volunteer.

3. Support volunteering and other community projects with more sustainable, longer-term funding

Having access to sustainable, equitable funding is the biggest issue for organisations supporting those who face discrimination and inequality.

These organisations have historically been underfunded, and are less likely to have reserves to fall back on. The pandemic has made this worse. Some organisations received emergency funding during the pandemic (for example, through the London Community Response), but remain concerned about long-term survival. Others have seen big increases in demand caused by the pandemic and the impact of lockdowns. Civil society organisations need sustainable funding, including core funding, to succeed.

4. Ensure older people can access cultural opportunities

In 2021-22, Londoners aged 65 and over were the least likely age group to participate in formal culture and events (39 per cent, compared with 55 per cent of Londoners overall). This includes going to the cinema, theatre, music concerts, museums, galleries or local community festivals.

5. Promote best practice in including older Londoners in civic, cultural and social activities

Promoting best practice of including older people in civic, cultural and social activities can encourage other organisations to adopt these practices, leading to their spread and greater participation of older Londoners in civic, cultural and social activities.

Making London more age-friendly for older workers and jobseekers

Older Londoners identified priorities for employment and skills action in the following order.

1. Customise support for older jobseekers

In the year to March 2023, around 91,200 Londoners aged 50 and over (around 49,700 men and 41,900 women) were unemployed. The lowest unemployment rates among older people by ethnicity and gender are among Bangladeshi and Pakistani women. A further 60,500 Londoners between 50 and 64 (32,200 men and 28,200 women) were economically inactive, yet wanted a job. Older jobseekers would benefit from customised employment support  to meet the unique challenges they face, such as ageism; skills gaps in applying for jobs; gaps in skills sought by employers; and wanting or needing flexible work. Older jobseekers are also more likely to be long-term unemployed, and to lack confidence about getting another job. Currently, people aged 55 and over accessing employment support services are much less likely to get a job than younger people.

Older people are least likely to possess any of the seven foundational digital skills.

This is particularly concerning, as digital skills are now a prerequisite for most jobs, while many jobs are only advertised online.

2. Support older workers to progress in the labour market and stay in work as long as they want

In the year to March 2023 around 1,266,200 Londoners aged 50 and over (around 677,400 men and 588,900 women) were in employment.  Among them were around 160,600 Londoners aged 65 and over (93,300 men and 67,300 women).

Older employees are less likely than other age groups to receive job-related training. Plus, older workers with poor digital skills can lose out on the training opportunities offered as online courses. This can impede their progression.

Older workers may acquire disabilities or responsibility for caring for someone as they get older and need to be able to work flexibly to stay in work. Others may want to reduce their hours as a step towards retirement.

3. Champion the benefits of an age-diverse workforce, and encourage employers to adopt age-friendly work policies and practices that combat ageism

Ageism benefits neither employers, nor current or prospective employees. Businesses with a 10 per cent higher-than-average share of workers aged 50 and over are more productive. Companies with a multigenerational workforce can be more innovative than those without. Older workers tend to stay in a job longer than younger colleagues, meaning both reduced turnover and reduced recruitment costs. Older workers take fewer short-term sick days than younger workers. These are just some of the benefits of having older people in the workforce.

4. Support older workers on low incomes, including those made redundant and those who’ve retired or are about to retire

People of all ages on low incomes inevitably find it difficult to get by, especially with the cost of living in London being higher than anywhere else in the UK; and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Groups of people on low incomes in their working-age lives (such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds; carers; disabled people; and women) are very likely to face low income in retirement.

A third of the workers made redundant in the UK during the pandemic were aged 50 or over. It has long been the case that older people who are out of work are more likely to find themselves long-term unemployed. For people aged 50-70, retirement has been the most commonly stated reason for dropping out of the workforce since the pandemic. People in their early 50s were less confident that their retirement provisions will meet their needs and were more likely to think they will need to rely on some paid work in retirement, than older groups.

Many people welcome and easily adjust to retirement. Some, though, are concerned about their finances; and their about lives being empty, less structured, and lonely.

5. Make skills and employment data and evidence about older Londoners publicly available

The publication of skills and employment data, evidence and insights about older Londoners can provide a clear picture of the challenges they face. It can be used by decision-makers and policymakers, including employers, to make decisions and design policies that address these challenges. It can be used, likewise, by skills and employment programme developers.

For the academic year 2022-22, 28 per cent (64,450) of all Adult Education Budget-funded learners were aged 50 and over. They enrolled in 130,370 courses out of 487,100. The most popular subject areas for this age group was Preparation for Life and Work (which is made up of basic skills in maths and English; English for speakers of other languages; and employability-focused skills, e.g. CV writing). This subject area saw 19,860 learners aged 50 and over, across 40,840 courses. The second most popular subject area for this age group was creative arts and design, with 12,390 learners taking 26,840 courses.

6. Keep an overview of what’s happening to older workers, and how their needs can be better met

It is important to monitor the delivery of employment and skills policies and programmes, and their impact on older workers or jobseekers; and to review the findings. This will enable policymakers and programme deliverers to identify whether the needs of workers and jobseekers are being met. Where the findings show shortfalls, policies and programmes can be revised to address them.

Making health and social care in London more age-friendly

Older Londoners identified priorities for action to make health and social care in London more age-friendly, in this order:

1. Include older Londoners in more projects promoting mental wellbeing

One in four older people live with common mental health conditions. People in their 50s and 60s are more likely to have low levels of life satisfaction and happiness. Living with long-term physical health conditions, dementias, bereavement and feeling lonely can all increase the prevalence of developing mental ill health. These circumstances were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many older Londoners grew up in a time of greater levels of stigma around mental ill health, and do not seek support when they are struggling with it. Older people often face barriers in accessing services to support their mental health, and in taking part in activities that give their life meaning. The cost-of-living crisis will impose further pressures on older people especially; and the knock-on effects are likely to further exacerbate mental ill health.

2. Promote healthy lifestyles

Whilst many of us are fortunate enough to live longer than those who have gone before us, much of this longer life is lived in poor health. Disability-free life expectancy in London for men was 64.4 in 2018-20, similar to 2008-10. However, it has declined for women – from 65.3 in 2008-10 to 63.3 in 2018-20. The healthy life expectancy, at 65, is 10.3 years for men and 11.3 years for women.

Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black Caribbean people experience the highest rates of disability in later life. Health rates vary considerably from borough to borough. For example, rates of bad or very bad health among people aged 65 and over range from just 7 per cent in the City of London to 35 per cent in the neighbouring borough of Tower Hamlets – a difference of 28 percentage points

Living in poverty and deprived areas, smoking and poor diet all lead to shorter life expectancy. Among people aged 50 to 69, smoking and poor diet are the top behavioural risk factors for years lost to disability. ‘Increasing or higher risk’ drinking was highest among people aged 55 to 64. Also, the prevalence of obesity increases through to age 55-64, with obesity prevalence highest in the most deprived areas.

3. Support active ageing

Activity levels generally decrease with age, with the sharpest decrease coming at age 75 and over. In 2021-22, 65 per cent of Londoners aged 85 and over did less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. This compares with 42 per cent of those aged 75-84; and 27 per cent of those aged 65-74. Activity levels for people aged 55 and over dropped during the pandemic, though have started to increase again.

In 2020-21, just over 20 per cent of London residents aged 80 and over did at least 20 minutes of active travel a day. For younger age groups, this was over 30 per cent. Just eight per cent aged 65 and over cycled. In 2021-22, just 8 per cent of Londoners aged 65 and over had played sport in the last month, compared to 13 per cent of those aged 50 to 64.

4. Tackle air pollution

The levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in London’s air routinely exceed WHO-recommended levels. In 2021, an estimated 6,000 deaths in London were due to air pollution. Older people are more likely to have, or to acquire, the health conditions that make people more vulnerable to air pollution. These include respiratory conditions (such as asthma), cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. It has been found that that there is an increased incidence of dementia in London associated with NO₂.

5. Promote wellbeing by championing social prescribing

Social prescribing is where people receive non-medical help to improve their health and wellbeing, by being linked up with what’s going on in their local area. With at least 20 per cent of people visiting their GP for non-medical reasons, social prescribing is a way of reducing visits to the doctor and hospital.

7. Support Londoners with dementia

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are progressive conditions that become more prevalent with age. Around 4 per cent of people 65 and over experience these conditions.

These conditions are a high-impact disability with a wide range of physical and cognitive symptoms. These symptoms can lead to challenges for Londoners with dementia when engaging in simple everyday tasks – such as visiting friends; shopping; and pursuing interests and activities such as leisure and sports, culture, or visiting green spaces and nature. Alzheimer’s Society and others have identified and promoted a range of practical actions that can support people with dementia to ‘live well’ with the condition. There are over 72,000 people with dementia living in London, almost 50,000 being aged 65 and over and this number is set to more than triple within the next 40 years. The level of support available to people living with dementia varies depending on where they live in the city.

Making communication and information in London more age-friendly

Older Londoners identified priorities for action in the following order:

1. Keep providing offline communication and information

In 2021-22 around eight in 10 (81 per cent) digitally excluded Londoners were over 50.

Londoners aged 65 and over were the most digitally excluded. The groups more likely not to have internet access at home remained those aged 65 and over. Older people are also least likely to use a smartphone to go online. A strong message from older Londoners was that those choosing not to use the internet, or who cannot so, should not be disadvantaged when it comes to accessing services. It is vital that phone lines are maintained, so that those who do not access the internet can still access local services and engage actively as citizens. In January 2023, nine of the 33 local authorities in London did not offer a way to apply for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction without using the internet.

2. Support digital literacy skills and tackle digital exclusion

Older people who are not online have not been able to benefit from online deliveries; nor from cheaper rates for energy, goods and services.

At the end of 2021, half of those who did not use the internet at home had asked someone else to do something for them online in the past year.

The most common request was to buy something. Other requests included help with accessing health services online; and applying for or claiming some type of benefit. Those who have no one to help them remain at greater risk of digital exclusion.

There is demand among older people to get online, with a quarter of older Londoners wanting to use the internet more.

The most frequently cited reason for not using the internet more was a lack of digital skills. Other reasons cited included a lack of access to devices or data; a lack of trust in the internet, including fear of scams; and health problems that prevented use of devices.

3. Make online services user-friendly

Organisations providing their services online should design these services to meet the needs of all users. That users are phoning, rather than completing a task online, should be considered as feedback that the online service is not adequately user-friendly. Ideally, online service providers should use input from older people and organisations that support them.

Making London a city where older people are truly valued

Older Londoners identified priorities for action in the following order:

1. Champion the contribution of older Londoners and ensure their views are included in policy making

Older Londoners make a highly valuable contribution to city life – as professionals, volunteers and carers. Over 1.2m Londoners aged 50 and over are in employment. Older Londoners are more likely to formally volunteer, and 19 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women aged 55-64 in the UK provide unpaid care. Yet their views and experiences are not always considered in developing policies. This is especially important for policies that directly affect them. For example, only 33 per cent of Londoners aged 50 and over agreed that they can personally influence decisions affecting their local area. A minority of older Londoners say they think London is a place where older people are valued; for those aged 60-64, this is just 13 per cent.

2. Create inclusive buildings and spaces that are welcoming for everyone

Older Londoners need to feel welcome wherever they go in the city. An environment that is difficult to navigate, unsafe, uncomfortable or unwelcoming can discourage older people from going out, leading to social isolation.

3. Tackle ageism

Ageism is widespread in society and can be found everywhere from our workplaces and health systems to the stereotypes we see on TV, advertising and in the media. In the UK, ageism is the most prevalent form of discrimination amongst all age groups, with one in three people experiencing age-based prejudice or discrimination. Fourteen per cent of Londoners aged 50 and over reported being treated unfairly because of their age. Age-based stereotypes can disadvantage older people when applying for jobs. Assumptions that older workers are less competent, or less capable of learning new skills, can lead to them being forced out of the workforce, or being passed over for job progression. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘do not attempt resuscitation’ decisions were made about older people without consulting them or their families. Older people are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants than talking therapies.

4. Encourage people from different generations to socially connect

It has been long known that social connectedness is key to enabling people to age successfully. There are also wide-ranging benefits of all ages mixing – for individuals, communities and the country as a whole. These range from improving individuals’ quality of life, health, care, housing and learning, to tackling some of the bigger social and economic issues facing Britain (from loneliness and ageism to social division and inequality to planning for future generations). Cuts in funding to community services (for example, cuts of almost 50 per cent in a decade for libraries and public toilets), and the COVID-19 pandemic, have affected people’s access to community services and spaces, reducing their ability to maintain social connections locally.

In Londoners’ wider social groups, just 17 per cent of adult Londoners reported frequently spending time with adults much older than them; and 14 per cent reported frequently spending time with adults much younger than them. Londoners’ friendship groups are also more likely to be similar by age than by education, ethnicity or income.

5. Help communities support older people

The pandemic response depended greatly on the work of community-led organisations – mobilising like a neighbourhood army, and filling gaps where statutory services were stretched or unable to cope with demand. This civil society response was astonishing in its power to reach out and connect with people, often providing direct, tailored provision. The lockdowns squeezed civil society organisations through a combination of increased demand for provision and decreased income, due to constraints in trading and fundraising activities.

Historic racial and sexual-orientation discrimination means that older LGBTQ+ people, and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, look to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and LGBTQ+ communities and organisations for trusted support. The loss of access to social spaces (as a result of lockdowns), like those provided by voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, deeply affected older people from ethnic minority backgrounds, who often use social spaces as a means of accessing cultural connection, support, advice and information.

Community-led organisations have often survived for years on shoestring budgets, struggling to stay afloat and unable to plan beyond the short term. In addition, there are geographical civil society ‘cold spots’ in London: areas where there are gaps in civil society support for community-led groups.