Foot Care Products for Older Feet and NHS Podiatry Access
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Most everyday foot care needs only a few inexpensive things: a good moisturising foot cream, a long-handled way to reach your toes, proper nail clippers and a file. NHS podiatry is free but is generally kept for people whose health puts their feet at risk, so many people pay a private podiatrist for routine care. If you have diabetes or poor circulation, do not treat your own feet without professional advice.
Why feet need more attention in later life
With age, the skin on the feet gets thinner and drier, the natural padding under the heel and ball of the foot wears down, nails thicken, and reaching your feet gets harder. Painful feet make people walk less and less steadily, which raises the risk of a fall. Looking after your feet is part of staying on them: see preventing falls at home.
Getting NHS podiatry
Podiatrists (also called chiropodists) are health professionals who treat feet. NHS podiatry is free, but each area sets its own rules on who qualifies. Looking at NHS services around the country, the common pattern is:
- Priority goes to medical need: people with diabetes, circulation problems, loss of feeling, rheumatoid arthritis, foot ulcers or other conditions that put the feet at risk.
- Routine nail cutting, and corns and hard skin in otherwise healthy feet, are usually not covered.
- How you get in varies. In some areas you can refer yourself with a form or a phone call; in others you need a referral from a GP, nurse or other health professional.
Ask your GP surgery how it works where you live. If you have diabetes, you should be offered a foot check at least once a year as part of your diabetes review: if you have not had one, ask.
If you do not qualify
- Private podiatrists. "Podiatrist" and "chiropodist" are protected titles: anyone using them must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and you can check its online register. As a rough guide, a routine appointment costs from around £30 to £60, and more for a home visit.
- Foot health practitioners offer routine nail and skin care, often at home. Their training varies and the title is not protected in the same way, so ask about qualifications and insurance.
- Low-cost nail-cutting services are run in some areas by local Age UKs and other charities. Ask your local Age UK or your GP surgery.
Everyday products worth having
| Product | What to look for | Rough price guide |
|---|---|---|
| Foot cream | A plain, unperfumed moisturiser. Creams containing urea are widely sold for dry, hard skin. Do not put cream between the toes | around £3 to £10 |
| Nail clippers or nippers | Sturdy, with long handles for leverage and a straight cutting edge. Easy-grip and long-reach versions exist | around £5 to £20 |
| Nail file or emery board | A long, coarse file is often safer than cutting if nails are thick or your sight is poor | around £2 to £8 |
| Foot file or pumice stone | For gently reducing hard skin after a bath. Avoid graters and blades | around £3 to £10 |
| Cushioning insoles and heel pads | Replace lost natural padding. Check they do not make your shoes too tight | around £5 to £25 |
Dressing aids such as sock aids and long shoe horns are covered in reachers and dressing aids.
A simple routine
- Wash your feet every day in warm, not hot, water. Do not soak them for long, which dries the skin.
- Dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.
- Moisturise the tops, soles and heels, but not between the toes.
- Look. Check the soles and between the toes for cuts, cracks, blisters and colour changes. A long-handled mirror, or a mirror on the floor, helps if you cannot bend.
- Nails. Trim them regularly, straight across and not too short, without cutting down the sides. They are softer after a bath. If they are too thick or too far away to manage safely, file them a little and often, or get help.
- Clean socks every day.
Products to treat with caution
- Medicated corn plasters and corn or verruca liquids contain acid that can burn healthy skin around the corn. Ask a pharmacist before using them, and do not use them at all if you have diabetes, poor circulation or fragile skin.
- Blades, corn planes and electric callus removers can take off too much skin. Leave cutting to a podiatrist.
Shoes and slippers matter most
No product makes up for shoes that do not fit. Feet often get wider and longer with age, so have them measured, shop in the afternoon when feet are at their largest, and look for a fastening that adjusts, a firm heel, a cushioned non-slip sole and enough depth and width for your toes. Indoors, wear slippers with a back and a fastening, not loose mules. Our guide to slippers and footwear goes into detail. If your feet or ankles swell, see a GP or nurse before buying support hosiery: see compression socks.
Common questions
Is chiropody free for over-60s?
Not on age alone. NHS podiatry depends on medical need and on local rules. Ask your GP surgery how to be assessed.
What is the difference between a chiropodist and a podiatrist?
None in practice. Podiatrist is the modern name, and both titles require HCPC registration.
Can a relative cut my toenails?
Yes, if your feet are healthy and they are careful. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or are on blood-thinning medicine, ask your nurse or podiatrist first.