Age Friendly Communities in the UK: What They Are and How to Check

An age-friendly community is a place that deliberately adapts its streets, transport, housing, services and social life so people can stay healthy, independent and involved as they get older. The UK Network of Age-friendly Communities, supported by the Centre for Ageing Better, has over 100 member places across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Membership shows commitment, not a guaranteed standard.

At a glance

• The World Health Organization (WHO) framework covers eight areas, from outdoor spaces and transport to housing and health services.
• The UK Network has over 100 member places and covers all four nations; the Centre for Ageing Better supports it.
• Wales and Northern Ireland fund age-friendly work in their councils; in Scotland, South Lanarkshire reported being the first council to join the UK Network (2023).
• Membership is a commitment to improve, so check what a place has actually done.
• Free bus travel starts at State Pension age in England and at 60 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What is an age-friendly community?

The idea comes from the WHO, which describes its Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities as places working to improve their physical and social environments so they are better to grow old in. The WHO framework was shaped by focus groups with older people, carers and service providers in 33 cities in 22 countries, so it reflects what older people themselves say matters.

In the UK, a town, district, city, county or region can join the UK Network. The Centre for Ageing Better works with members to connect places and share what works, and the network is an affiliate of the WHO global network. The UK Network was launched in 2012 by the UK Urban Ageing Consortium.

What are the eight domains of an age-friendly place?

The WHO framework behind the UK Network rests on eight areas. Used as a checklist, they are a useful way to judge whether somewhere will suit you in ten or twenty years.

Which programmes exist across the UK?

The UK Network reports over 100 member places, with more than 30 million people living in them, and almost 5,000 partner organisations. Members apply by submitting an application form, and each lists a lead contact on an interactive map. The structure differs by nation.

• England: Places join the UK Network directly, usually led by the council with local partners.
• Wales: Since 2021 the Welsh Government has funded each local authority with £50,000 a year for an Age-Friendly Coordinator. In October 2025 the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales reported that 10 of the 22 councils were WHO Global Network members, with the rest preparing applications or building their networks.
• Northern Ireland: The Public Health Agency funds Age-Friendly Coordinators in all 11 council areas, and has supported the wider network since 2019.
• Scotland: South Lanarkshire Council reported in June 2023 that it had become the first Scottish local authority to join the UK Network. Check the network map to see whether your own area is a member.

How do you check whether your council is age-friendly?

1. Search the interactive UK Network map on the Centre for Ageing Better website, which shows member places and their age-friendly lead contact.
2. Search your council’s website for “age-friendly”, and ask whether it has a named coordinator or an action plan.
3. Ask what has changed in practice: new benches and toilets, better bus links, housing for older people, information for people who are not online.
4. Remember that not every good place is a member, and not every member is equally far along. Treat the status as a starting point for questions.

We do not rank places on this basis. For quality of local care services, our guide to council-level care home quality uses regulator data instead.

What should you look for when choosing where to live in later life?

Use the eight domains to turn a general impression into concrete checks. Visit on a weekday and walk or travel as you would without a car.

• Getting around: Step-free routes, even pavements and benches. Bus passes give free local travel from State Pension age in England and from 60 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with free travel in London from 60 for use within London. See transport support for older people.
• Everyday services: GP, pharmacy, shops and a post office within reach. A place that works for you at 65 should still work at 80.
• Company and activity: Active clubs, volunteering and meeting places. Our guides on social groups for over 50s and loneliness in older people show what good looks like.
• Housing choices: Whether homes can be adapted, and whether options such as extra care housing exist locally. A disabled facilities grant may help pay for adaptations.
• Attitudes: Whether older people are included in local decisions. Our guide to ageism and your rights explains what to challenge.

If you are comparing broader options, best places to retire in the UK and countryside or city retirement living cover the lifestyle side.

How does this connect to housing and care?

Age-friendly work overlaps with care in two ways. First, suitable housing, transport and community support can delay the need for formal care. Under the Care Act 2014, councils must consider how to prevent, reduce or delay care needs, and must give information and advice on what can be done, whether or not a person has eligible needs. Our guide to your rights under the Care Act explains this.

Second, a more age-friendly area does not replace a care assessment. If you or a relative need support at home, ask the council for a needs assessment and see helping older people stay independent.

Frequently asked questions

What is an age-friendly community?

It is a place working to make its public spaces, transport, housing, services and social life suit people of all ages, especially older people. The WHO framework sets out eight areas for action, and local partnerships including older people usually lead the work.

How many places are in the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities?

The Centre for Ageing Better describes the network as over 100 places across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with more than 30 million people living in them. The numbers change as places join, so check the latest figure on its website.

Is my council part of the network?

Use the interactive map on the Centre for Ageing Better website, or ask your council whether it has an age-friendly lead. In Wales and Northern Ireland, councils receive government funding for age-friendly work, so ask for the named coordinator.

Does being age-friendly mean better care services?

Not automatically. Age-friendly status is about the wider environment, such as transport, housing and social life. Care quality is separate and is inspected by the regulators, so check inspection reports for any care provider you are considering.

Where to get help next

If you are weighing up a move, our independent living guide and extra care housing guide compare the options. To look at local care and support, use find care, and to see what help you might get towards costs, try the funding checker.

Sources

• Centre for Ageing Better: UK Network of Age-friendly Communities
• Centre for Ageing Better: What is an Age-friendly Community?
• Centre for Ageing Better: UK Network members pack
• Older People’s Commissioner for Wales: Making Wales a Nation of Age-Friendly Communities
• Public Health Agency: Age-Friendly activities in Positive Ageing Month
• GOV.UK: Apply for an older person’s bus pass

See also: The best places to retire in Scotland: what to consider

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.