about Counsel and Care

our vision, mission and activities

Counsel and Care is a national charity getting the best care and support for older people, their families and carers. We do this by providing advice, information and financial support and by influencing future policies, services and funding.

Established in 1954 by Bob Graham in response to the poor levels of care experienced by many frail older people, Counsel and Care is needed more than ever as our population ages.

Advice and information
Counsel and Care's dedicated and sympathetic Advice Service offers information and support to around 25,000 older people, their families and carers a year. We support people through our Advice Line, through our website, in our responses to emails and letters, our detailed factsheets and guides, and our single needs grants programme. Enquirers are helped until their issues are resolved.

We can advise on a range of community care issues, including finding and paying for care, welfare benefits, and hospital discharge. We can help older people whether they are in a care home, in sheltered housing, or in their original home.

Policy influencing and campaigning
The Policy and Communications Team at Counsel and Care works to influence government, the media and other stakeholders to get the best care and support for older people. Older people's concerns and experiences reported to our advice service inform our campaigning work. We use the media, our website, consultations, surveys and lobbying to get our messages across. Our independence means that we are able to campaign and lobby on more controversial issues.

The Team also commissions research, working with highly respected academics to produce evidence that will inform our policy influencing work and shape better services for older people.