In short
- Around a third of people aged 65 and over, and around half of people aged 80 and over, fall at least once a year, according to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
- Foot problems are common in later life: in one study of 784 adults aged 65 and over, 74.9% had toenail problems and 58.2% had corns or calluses.
- Disabling foot pain and weaker toe muscles were linked with falls in a 12-month study of 176 older people, and NICE now lists footwear and foot condition as part of a full falls assessment.
- Age UK advises shoes or slippers that fit well, fasten and grip, and never walking around indoors in bare feet, socks or tights.
- NHS podiatry rarely covers routine nail cutting; on the six local Age UK pages we checked, nail cutting cost £15 to £33.50 an appointment.
The short answer
Good foot care in later life comes down to five things: look at your feet regularly, keep nails short and skin in good condition, wear shoes and slippers that fit, fasten and grip, get help with nails before they become a problem, and tell your GP about foot pain, numbness or a fall.
It matters more than it sounds. Age UK says that as you get older your feet lose some of their natural cushioning, blood flow may decrease, and sores take longer to heal. Its falls advice adds that problems with your feet can affect your balance and increase your risk of tripping or falling. And falls are common: government figures from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities say around a third of people aged 65 and over, and around half of people aged 80 and over, fall at least once a year.
Common foot problems in later life
The clearest count we found comes from a 2004 study of 784 people aged 65 and over, chosen at random from one American city. Foot problems were the rule rather than the exception:
| Problem | Share of people aged 65+ |
|---|---|
| Toenail disorders | 74.9% |
| Bent or clawed smaller toes | 60.0% |
| Corns and calluses | 58.2% |
| Bunions | 37.1% |
| Signs of fungal infection, cracks or soggy skin between the toes | 36.3% |
| Ankle pain on most days in the past month | 14.9% |
That was a US sample, so the exact figures may differ here, but the pattern matches UK advice. A review of 31 studies with more than 75,000 people aged 45 and over put the share with frequent foot pain at about 24%, around one in four.
Age UK lists corns, cracked skin and ingrown toenails among the common problems that can be treated successfully. Long-term conditions change the picture: Age UK says people with diabetes, arthritis or circulation problems are more likely to be at risk of complications and should get advice from a health professional. Our guides to thick toenails, corns and calluses and cracked heels go into each one.
Feet and falls: what the research says
Several studies link foot problems with falls, though they cannot prove that one causes the other.
- A 12-month study of 176 people with an average age of 80, living in a retirement village, found that 41% fell during the year. Disabling foot pain and weaker muscles that curl the toes were each linked with falling, after allowing for other risk factors. The authors concluded that foot and ankle problems increase the risk of falls in older people.
- A randomised trial of 305 people with disabling foot pain (average age 74) tested a year of podiatry care, insoles, footwear advice with money towards new shoes, foot and ankle exercises and a falls booklet. That group had 36% fewer falls than the comparison group, although the share of people who fell at least once did not differ significantly.
- A larger UK trial of a similar programme, with 1,010 people, found only a small reduction in falls that was not statistically significant, though the authors thought the programme might still be good value.
So the evidence that foot care on its own prevents falls is mixed, but foot pain and poor footwear are recognised risk factors. NICE's 2025 falls guideline, NG249, applies to people aged 65 and over (and people aged 50 to 64 at higher risk) and lists "footwear and foot condition" among the things a full falls assessment should cover, next to balance, eyesight and a medicines review. It also says professionals should ask people at routine appointments whether they have fallen in the past year.
Under NG249, a full falls assessment is offered to people who have fallen in the past year and who are living with frailty, were injured and needed treatment, lost consciousness, could not get up on their own, or have fallen twice or more. People who have fallen once and have a problem with walking or balance should be offered a falls prevention exercise programme, and a home hazard check should be considered. If any of that sounds like you or someone you care for, it is worth raising with the GP, and, since footwear is part of the assessment, taking your usual shoes or slippers along makes sense.
Shoes and slippers
Age UK's foot and falls advice is the clearest summary:
- Always wear shoes, sandals or slippers around the house. Do not walk around indoors in bare feet, socks or tights.
- Choose shoes that fit well: high-sided, with low heels, thin soles and a good grip. Avoid high heels where you can.
- Wear slippers that have a good grip and fasten up. Loose or worn-out slippers may cause you to trip.
- If you have arthritis, trainers or well-cushioned shoes may be more comfortable, but the soles should not be so thick that you cannot feel the floor, which can make you unsteady.
- Make sure socks are not compressing or pinching your feet or legs.
The NHS page on falls says the same in one line: wear shoes or slippers that fit well, do not slip off and have a good grip.
Two studies back this up. In a study of 765 older people in Boston, 51.9% of falls at home happened while people were barefoot, in socks or in slippers, even though only 10.1% said that was what they usually wore, and people who fell while shoeless or in slippers were more likely to be seriously injured. The authors suggested wearing shoes at home whenever possible. A study of 176 people aged 62 to 96 found most were wearing shoes narrower than their feet, and that shoes much narrower than the foot were linked with corns on the toes, bunions and foot pain.
Put simply, by the Age UK and NHS tests: if a slipper slips off, is loose or is worn out, replace it with a pair that fastens and grips.
Getting toenails cut when you cannot reach them
Many people simply find it hard to reach their feet, and the Alliance Register of Foot Health Practitioners notes that hip and knee problems add a lot to the need for help. Age UK suggests filing nails regularly to keep them a comfortable length, or asking a friend or family member to help. Nails that are too long can press against the end of the shoe, and badly cut nails can become ingrown. Our guide on how to cut toenails covers the technique for whoever does it.
How often? The services we checked suggest a rhythm rather than a rule: Age UK Waltham Forest recommends trimming every 6 weeks, the Milton Keynes service usually visits every six to eight weeks, and Somerset's appointments are usually every three months. Ask whoever cuts your nails what suits you.
The NHS
Routine nail cutting is usually not available on the NHS, even if you cannot reach your feet. Nottinghamshire Healthcare, for example, lists "toenail cutting (including difficulty reaching feet to cut nails)" as not eligible, and Leeds Community Healthcare does not offer nail care to people with good circulation and feeling in their feet. Age UK says that if a foot condition affects your health or mobility you may be able to get NHS podiatry, so ask your GP about eligibility, especially if you have diabetes or circulation problems.
Age UK nail cutting services
Many local Age UKs run their own nail cutting services. Each sets its own price, age limit and rules. The six we checked on 10 November 2026:
| Service | Price | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age UK Barnet | £15 basic; £20 with a podiatrist | Clinic | Basic service not for people with diabetes, who can be referred to the podiatrist session |
| Age UK Waltham Forest | £24 (plus £8 kit on a first visit) | Clinic | Aged 50+; includes hard skin removal and a foot rub |
| Age UK Somerset | £25 (plus £15 one-off for clippers and file) | Clinic | Aged 55+; toenails only; people with diabetes need a foot check in the last 12 months |
| Age UK Oxfordshire | £26 | Clinic only | Aged 50+, for people who do not need a podiatry service |
| Age UK Milton Keynes | £27 for a simple toenail cut | At home | Self-employed foot care practitioner; more if you need more than a simple cut; waiting list |
| Age UK Northamptonshire | £33.50, or £62 for a couple | At home | People with diabetes welcome; no corns, calluses, ingrown nails or infections |
Most of these services cut and file nails only. Several turn away ingrown toenails, corns and infections, and some check with your GP first if you have diabetes or take blood thinners. Search for your own local Age UK to see what it offers.
Skin and everyday checks
Age UK suggests checking your feet regularly for cracked skin, blisters and signs of infection, filing any dry, hard skin, and going to any check-ups you are offered.
Be careful with home treatments. The NHS page on corns and calluses says that if you have diabetes, problems with your circulation, a weakened immune system, or are an older person, you should not try to treat corns and calluses yourself. So leave blades and corn plasters alone and ask a GP, pharmacist or foot care practitioner for help. If you have diabetes, our guide to diabetic foot care sets out the extra checks you should be getting.
Home visits
If getting to a clinic is hard, there are three main routes:
- NHS podiatry home visits are usually kept for people who cannot leave home at all. Leeds Community Healthcare, for example, visits people who are totally housebound, such as those who are bedbound or would become ill travelling, and asks anyone who can travel by taxi, car or bus to come to a clinic.
- Age UK home services exist in some areas, such as the Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire services above.
- Private Foot Health Practitioners and podiatrists often visit at home. On the published price lists we checked, a home visit cost £35 to £60; our guide to foot health treatment costs lists them.
Before a visit, it helps to tell the practitioner about any diabetes, circulation problems or blood-thinning medicines, because several services we checked ask about these before a first appointment.
When to see a GP, and when it is urgent
See a GP, or your practice nurse, if:
- you have foot pain or reduced feeling in your feet (Age UK)
- a corn or callus bleeds, has pus or discharge, has not improved after 3 weeks of home treatment, or the pain is severe (NHS)
- you have tingling or loss of sensation in your foot, or you have diabetes and foot pain (NHS)
- you are worried about your balance or mobility, or you have had a fall (NHS).
Contact NHS 111 if your foot is hot and swollen, you have severe pain or cannot walk, or you have a very high temperature or feel hot, or cold and shivery. Call 999 if someone has fallen and may have hurt their head, back, neck or hip, or cannot get up.
What this guide does not cover
This is general information. Some of the research comes from Australia and the USA, so the exact figures may not match the UK, and the studies show links rather than proof of cause. Age UK prices and rules change and differ by branch, and NHS eligibility differs by area. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, a wound that will not heal or a recent fall, start with your GP rather than with general advice.
How we checked
On 10 November 2026 we read Age UK's national pages on foot care and falls prevention and six local Age UK nail cutting pages; NHS pages on falls, corns and calluses and foot pain; the government's Falls: applying All Our Health; two NHS trusts' podiatry eligibility pages; and five peer-reviewed studies through Europe PMC (Dunn 2004, Thomas 2011, Menz 2006, Spink 2011 and Cockayne 2017 on foot problems and falls; Kelsey 2010 and Menz 2005 on footwear). NICE's website refused automated reading, so we read guideline NG249 through the UK Government Web Archive's copy of the same page and link to NICE itself. We used only prices we could see on each Age UK page that day, and we did not contact any of the services.
Where Fairy Feet fits
Marianna Tapai FHP is a qualified Level 4 Foot Health Practitioner who has worked with nails and feet since 2006. Many of the things in this guide are her everyday work: cutting and reducing thick or hard-to-reach toenails, easing corns and hard skin, and advice on looking after your feet, through a Foot Health Treatment / Medical Pedicure at her Doncaster studio. If getting out is hard, the call-out option means she can come to you, for a fee of £19.99 on top of the treatment.
She is not the right person for a falls assessment, a wound or ulcer, a hot, swollen or suddenly painful foot, an ingrown toenail that needs part of the nail removed, or feet that the NHS has rated moderate or high risk because of diabetes. Those belong with your GP, NHS 111, an HCPC-registered podiatrist or the NHS foot protection service. For routine care, you or a family member can get in touch to arrange a visit.
Questions people ask
Can I get my toenails cut on the NHS?
Usually not, if nail cutting is all you need. NHS podiatry focuses on people with medical risk, such as diabetes with foot problems, poor circulation or ulcers, and some services say difficulty reaching your feet is not enough on its own. Ask your GP whether you qualify, and look at your local Age UK or a private foot care practitioner if not.
How much does Age UK charge for toenail cutting?
It depends on the branch. On the six Age UK pages we checked in November 2026, prices ran from £15 for a basic clinic appointment to £33.50 for a home visit, and some add a one-off charge for your own clippers and file.
What slippers are safest for older people?
Age UK advises slippers with a good grip that fasten up, and warns that loose or worn-out slippers may cause you to trip. The NHS says shoes or slippers should fit well, not slip off and have a good grip. Avoid walking around indoors in bare feet, socks or tights.
Do foot problems really cause falls?
Studies link disabling foot pain, weak toe muscles and poor footwear with more falls, though they cannot prove cause. One Australian trial of a podiatry programme cut falls by 36%, while a larger UK trial found a smaller effect that was not statistically significant. NICE includes footwear and foot condition in a full falls assessment.
When should an older person see a GP about their feet?
See a GP for foot pain, numbness or tingling, a corn that bleeds or has pus, diabetes with foot pain, or any fall or worry about balance. Contact NHS 111 if a foot is hot and swollen or you have a very high temperature, and call 999 if someone has fallen and cannot get up or may have hurt their head or hip.
Sources
- How to look after your feet. Age UK, updated 3 November 2026.
- Fall prevention for the elderly. Age UK, updated 3 November 2026.
- Falls: applying All Our Health. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (GOV.UK), updated 25 February 2022.
- Prevalence of foot and ankle conditions in a multiethnic community sample of older adults (Dunn et al.). American Journal of Epidemiology, via Europe PMC, 2004.
- The population prevalence of foot and ankle pain in middle and old age: a systematic review (Thomas et al.). Pain, via Europe PMC, 2011.
- Foot and ankle risk factors for falls in older people: a prospective study (Menz, Morris and Lord). Journals of Gerontology Series A, via Europe PMC, 2006.
- Effectiveness of a multifaceted podiatry intervention to prevent falls in community dwelling older people with disabling foot pain: randomised controlled trial (Spink et al.). BMJ, via Europe PMC, 2011.
- Cohort randomised controlled trial of a multifaceted podiatry intervention for the prevention of falls in older people (the REFORM trial) (Cockayne et al.). PLoS One, via Europe PMC, 2017.
- Falls: assessment and prevention in older people and in people 50 and over at higher risk (NG249), recommendations. NICE, 29 April 2025.
- Falls. NHS, reviewed 6 March 2025.
- Footwear and falls in the home among older individuals in the MOBILIZE Boston Study (Kelsey et al.). Footwear Science, via Europe PMC, 2010.
- Footwear characteristics and foot problems in older people (Menz and Morris). Gerontology, via Europe PMC, 2005.
- Community podiatry and specialist services. Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, checked 10 November 2026.
- Podiatry. Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, checked 10 November 2026.
- Nail cutting. Age UK Barnet, checked 10 November 2026.
- Nail cutting. Age UK Waltham Forest, checked 10 November 2026.
- Footcare. Age UK Somerset, checked 10 November 2026.
- Toe nail cutting. Age UK Oxfordshire, checked 10 November 2026.
- Footcare service. Age UK Milton Keynes, checked 10 November 2026.
- Toenail cutting service. Age UK Northamptonshire, checked 10 November 2026.
- Corns and calluses. NHS, reviewed 28 July 2026.
- The Alliance Register of Foot Health Practitioners. Alliance of Private Sector Practitioners, checked 10 November 2026.
- Pain in the top of the foot. NHS, reviewed 24 October 2025.