Impact

Explore the impact that Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) research is having in response to the challenges associated with population ageing in urban environments.

Two MUARG colleagues sitting down and laughing.

The Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) works together with older people, communities, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to address inequalities in later life and help create more age-friendly places.

Our co-produced research supports people to shape the decisions that affect them, informs policy and practice and turns evidence into practical action. This work has been recognised through a range of awards and recognitions.

Shaping international age-friendly policy

The Age-Friendly Futures Summit brought together more than 300 age-friendly leaders from 20 countries to share knowledge and shape the future of age-friendly policy and practice. Working with international, national, and regional partners, MUARG helped develop shared priorities for age-friendly practice and contributed to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European Healthy Ageing Strategy.

Supporting tenant-led change in Hulme

Through long-term collaboration with older residents at Hopton Court, the Hulme Nannas project supported the development of the UK’s first Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. Older residents identified priorities, shaped services, and helped establish a tenant-run community space, social activities, creative workshops, and public exhibitions. The project won the University’s Outstanding Public Engagement Initiative award in 2026.

Bringing older people’s voices into regeneration

MUARG researchers worked with more than 40 older residents and community organisations to explore how major redevelopment plans could affect communities in North Manchester. The resulting research on ageing, inequality, and urban regeneration sets out six aims to help policymakers plan regeneration that includes people of different ages, backgrounds, and incomes.

This project gave older people a voice. I enjoyed the experience and felt that I have improved my interviewing skills and, in doing so, have gained in confidence.
Elaine Unegbu / Age-Friendly Manchester Older People’s Board and Greater Manchester Older People’s Network

Media mentions

MUARG’s research and impact have been featured by local, national, and international media and organisations. Explore coverage of our work below.

2026

27 July 2026: '£6bn North Manchester regeneration risks leaving older residents feeling 'culturally displaced'', by Joe Stafford, University of Manchester News.
17 July 2026: ‘Call for older people’s voices to be heard in major urban regeneration of North Manchester’, by University of Manchester News.
13 July 2026: ‘Reflections from Urban Ageing in the Margins – Global Perspectives’, by Jean Paul Ramírez Echavarría and Atiya Mahmood, Aging in the Right Place Blog, Simon Fraser University.
9 July 2026: ‘Celebrating longevity and connection in Cheetham Hill’, by University of Manchester News.
27 April 2026: ‘Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group recognised with national Team Achievement Award’, by University of Manchester News.

2025

‘Study warns cities ‘failing to support older residents’ as they age’ by Housing Digital — 6 October 2025.
‘Cities must do more to support older residents, study warns’ by Joe Stafford, University of Manchester, Medical Xpress — 30 September 2025.
'Research shows cities must do more to support older residents’ by Joe Stafford, University of Manchester — 30 September 2025.
‘Co-Production at the Heart of MUARG’s Research’ by Jack Greeney, University of Manchester Humanities Blog — 21 August 2025.
‘“Alarming” health inequalities between older people in the North and South of England’ by Helen Quinn, Nursing in Practice — 26 June 2025.
‘Ageing in the North’ by Housing LIN, Housing LIN Blog — 26 June 2025.
‘North-South divide for older people reversible’ by Grace Shaw, BBC News — 24 June 2025.
‘Older northerners struggle with "alarming" inequalities compared to people from the South’ by University of Manchester News — 23 June 2025.
‘Older northerners struggle with "alarming" inequalities compared to people from the South’ by Amy Huxtable, University of Sheffield News — 23 June 2025.
‘Manchester celebrates start on site of UK’s first majority LGBTQ+ housing scheme’ by Manchester City Council News — 12 June 2025.
‘Winners of the Sociology Impact and Engagement Prize announced’ by University of Manchester News — 7 May 2025.
‘The radical plan for a futuristic age-friendly neighbourhood in Manchester’ by Chris Osuh, The Guardian — 18 April 2025.
‘Expert says ageing is ‘an opportunity, not a problem to be managed’’ by University of Manchester News — 1 April 2025.
‘Professor Tine Buffel calls for reframing ageing as an opportunity, not a problem to be managed’ by Architect Projects — 31 March 2025.
‘Age-friendly futures explored at World Health Organisation summit co-hosted by the University’ by Manchester Metropolitan University News — 31 March 2025.
‘Age Friendly Summit’ by Age UK Norwich, Age UK Norwich — 28 March 2025.
‘13 women from The University of Manchester make annual list of innovators’ by University of Manchester News, University of Manchester — 8 March 2025.
‘Age-Friendly Futures Summit’ by University of Manchester Social Responsibility — 2025.
‘Age-Friendly Futures Summit Statement: A framework for collaborative action’ by University of Manchester Social Responsibility — 2025.

2024

‘Professor Judith Phillips joins University of Manchester as Visiting Professor’ by Jack Greeney, University of Manchester News — 3 December 2024.
‘Working Together: Suzanne Lacy interviewed by Larne Abse Gogarty’ by Larne Abse Gogarty, Art Monthly — November 2024.
‘Hulme tenants lead the way on Ageing Well in Place’ by Avinash User, Community-Led Action and Savings Support (CLASS) Blog — 2 October 2024.
‘Research highlights role of faith spaces in supporting healthy ageing’ by Joe Stafford, University of Manchester News — 24 April 2024.
‘Research supports the role of faith spaces in support of healthy ageing’ by University of Manchester Social Responsibility — 24 April 2024.
‘Para incentivar el uso de la bici entre la gente mayor, tiene que ser seguro’ [‘In order to encourage cycling among older people, it has to be safe.’] by Cristina Valls, Diari de Tarragona — 27 March 2024.
‘La bicicleta tiene un gran potencial como medio de transporte urbano entre las personas mayores’ [‘Bicycles have great potential as a means of urban transport for older people.’] by GeriatricArea, GeriatricArea — 22 March 2024.
‘Una Barcelona más inclusiva y menos estresante: los retos para que los mayores se animen a ir en bicicleta’ [‘A more inclusive and less stressful Barcelona: the challenges of encouraging older people to cycle] by Carlos Márquez Daniel, El Periódico — 21 March 2024.
‘New film explores how cities can meet the needs of older people to become more age-friendly’ by University of Manchester News — 20 March 2024.
‘“We want equality and recognition”, say 100 older women in new project’ by University of Manchester News — 6 March 2024.
‘Manchester expert becomes Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences’ by Joe Stafford, University of Manchester News — 4 March 2024.

2019

‘Age-friendly cities’ by Rowena Roberts, The University of Manchester Magazine — Spring 2019.
‘Manchester contributes to major WHO report into age-friendly cities’ by University of Manchester News — 4 February 2019.

2018

‘What would an age-friendly city look like?’ by Alice Grahame, The Guardian — 10 October 2018.
‘What makes an Age-friendly City? Try asking an old person’ by Sophie Handler, The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Journal — 26 February 2018.

2016

‘Ageing in an era of neoliberalism: the impact of extending working lives’ by Jason Powell & Paul Taylor, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Blog — 3 October 2016.
‘Improving with age? How city design is adapting to older populations' by Alice Grahame, The Guardian — 25 April 2016.