HelpAge International
HelpAge International is a London-based international NGO founded in 1983 that advocates for the rights and wellbeing of older people globally through a partner network, humanitarian response, and policy campaigns. It serves older people in vulnerable situations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, across humanitarian, income security, healthy ageing, and rights-focused programmes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HelpAge International does
HelpAge International is a UK-registered charity (charity number 288180) founded in 1983 and headquartered in London, with 251-500 employees and a stated mission to promote the wellbeing and inclusion of older women and men and reduce poverty and discrimination in later life. The organisation operates a global network across Africa, Asia, Eurasia and the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America, delivering eight core programme areas: Humanitarian Action, Income Security, Healthy Ageing, Society for All Ages, Climate Change, Gender Equality, Rights of Older People, and Challenge Ageism. In 2024/25 it trained 970 Older People's Associations, supported 197 partner organisations, ran 373 ageism initiatives, and conducted 122 advocacy initiatives.
HelpAge generates revenue through donations and charitable contributions from individuals, institutional donors, foundations, and partner organisations, channeling supporters to affiliated entities such as HelpAge Canada, HelpAge Deutschland, HelpAge España, HelpAge Italia, HelpAge Korea, HelpAge USA, and Age International (UK) for regional giving. It is not a technology company and does not sell commercial products; its assets are an extensive multilingual publications library, the Human Rights Training Toolkit, the AgeWatch Indexes, and a coalition infrastructure anchored by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), which coordinates nearly 400 member organisations across roughly 80 countries.
Distribution is network-based rather than commercial: programmes are delivered through partner organisations, Older People's Associations at the community level, and direct humanitarian response in crises including Gaza, Ukraine, the Türkiye-Syria earthquakes, the Myanmar earthquake, Pakistan floods, the Haiti earthquake, and the East Africa hunger crisis. Strategic partnerships with UNFPA, ILO, UNICEF, Save the Children, UNAIDS, and the African Union support policy influence, and the organisation leads advocacy for a binding UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, having helped shape the UN Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing in 2002 and the inclusion of social protection in the Sustainable Development Goals.
HelpAge International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HelpAge International
- Legal name
- HelpAge International
- Website
- https://helpage.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- HelpAge International is a London-based international NGO founded in 1983 that advocates for the rights and wellbeing of older people globally through a partner network, humanitarian response, and policy campaigns. It serves older people in vulnerable situations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, across humanitarian, income security, healthy ageing, and rights-focused programmes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HelpAge International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Humanitarian and Ageing Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Social Assistance (624), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Country Development Assistance Programs (Bilateral ODA) (BPADABAA), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
Keywords
Where HelpAge International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
HelpAge International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and charitable contributions: HelpAge International operates as a registered charity (charity number 288180 in the UK) and generates revenue through donations from individuals, institutional donors, and partner organizations. The organization accepts donations through its main website and directs supporters to related HelpAge entities (Age International, HelpAge Canada, HelpAge Deutschland, HelpAge España, HelpAge Italia, HelpAge Korea, HelpAge USA) for regional donation options.
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
HelpAge International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HelpAge International is a UK-registered charity (charity number 288180) founded in 1983 that delivers humanitarian assistance, social protection advocacy, and policy research for older people globally. The organization coordinates a worldwide network of partner organizations and Older People's Associations, runs programs across eight thematic areas (humanitarian action, income security, healthy ageing, society for all ages, climate change, gender equality, rights of older people, and challenging ageism), and campaigns for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Product overview
HelpAge International operates as a global advocacy and humanitarian organization focused on promoting the rights and wellbeing of older people. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs organized around eight core thematic areas: Humanitarian Action, Income Security, Healthy Ageing, Society for All Ages, Climate Change, Gender Equality, Rights of Older People, and Challenge Ageism. These programs are supported by practical resources including the Human Rights Training Toolkit (with facilitator's guide and three learning modules) and publications. The organization maintains a global network of partner organizations across multiple regions and works to empower Older People's Associations at the community level.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Human Rights Training Toolkit
Quantifiable outcome
- 970 Older People's Associations trained on older people's rights
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use HelpAge International
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HelpAge International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
HelpAge International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) - Middle EastcoreHelpAge partnered with UNFPA Middle East to produce eighteen country profiles presenting facts and figures relating to the rights of older people in the Arab Region. Rights to income security, enjoyment of autonomy and equality, opportunities for lifelong learning, and freedom from violence, abuse and neglect featured as common omissions.
- Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP)coreHelpAge co-founded and actively supports GAROP, a coalition coordinating nearly 400 member organisations in around 80 countries to raise the voice of older people and lead the call for a UN convention on the rights of older persons.
- Resource Centre for Elderly (RCE), KyrgyzstanminorLocal partner organization in Kyrgyzstan that organized a fashion show event showcasing older women as part of the #OlderNotOver campaign, challenging stereotypes about ageing.
- AgeNet Network, KyrgyzstanminorLocal partner organization in Kyrgyzstan that co-organized the fashion show event for the #OlderNotOver campaign, supporting older women's empowerment.
- International Labour Organisation (ILO)coreHelpAge and ILO jointly developed work on social protection, pressing the UN to include social protection and guidelines on basic level of social security throughout people's lives. Contributed to Social Protection Floors Recommendation adopted by ILO in 2012.
- UNICEFcoreCollaborated with UNICEF to demonstrate numbers of households with orphans headed by older people, supporting the case for universal social pensions and child benefits. Alliance highlighted crucial role older people played in caring for vulnerable children.
- Save the ChildrencorePartnership recognizing that older people were looking after many of the children Save the Children was advocating for. Joint work on social protection and child benefits.
- UNAIDScoreHelpAge played a major role in UNAIDS publishing global estimates of HIV among the over-50s for the first time in 2013. Continued collaboration on HIV and ageing data advocacy.
- REPSSI (Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative)minorSouth Africa-based network focusing on psychosocial well-being of children. HelpAge co-authored policy guidelines which helped influence the care of older people caring for children orphaned by AIDS.
- African Union (AU)coreEndorsed the Livingstone Call to Action (2006) on social protection. HelpAge collaborated with AU to organize six country meetings across three regions. New chapter on social protection incorporated into AU's social policy.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
HelpAge International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Age International: UK-registered charity affiliated with the HelpAge global network, focused on international work with older people in developing countries. Direct peer in mission and target population; structurally tied to HelpAge International as a network affiliate.
- HelpAge USA: US affiliate of the HelpAge global network raising funds and advocating for older people in low- and middle-income countries. Direct peer in mission and target beneficiaries; operates as a separate legal entity in the HelpAge federation.
- Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP): Coalition of ~400 organisations in ~80 countries co-founded by HelpAge to campaign for a UN convention on older people's rights. Direct peer in advocacy mission, though structured as a coalition rather than an operational NGO.
- AARP: US-based nonprofit advocating for Americans aged 50+ on healthcare, income security, and ageism. Comparable as a membership-driven older-people advocacy organization with policy influence, though focused on a single (large) market rather than low- and middle-income countries.
- International Federation on Ageing (IFA): Global NGO with UN consultative status that influences age-related policy and connects multidisciplinary experts on ageing. Comparable as a global advocacy and policy network for older people's rights, with similar UN-engagement focus.
- HelpAge Canada: Canadian affiliate of the HelpAge global network supporting older people in developing countries. Direct peer with the same mission and a national fundraising remit parallel to other HelpAge affiliates.
- Age UK: UK charity dedicated to older people, providing services, advocacy, and policy influence. Directly comparable in mission (rights and wellbeing of older people) and operating model (charity, donation-funded, advocacy-led) to HelpAge International, though primarily focused domestically in the UK.
Others
- UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund): UN agency that partnered with HelpAge on Arab Region country profiles of older people's rights. Comparable as a multilateral counterpart and joint-publication partner; broader mandate (population, reproductive health) with overlapping ageing work.
- World Bank - Social Protection & Labour Global Practice: World Bank unit financing social-protection systems including pensions in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable as a major actor in the same social-pension policy space where HelpAge has documented advocacy wins (Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar).
Broad incumbents
- World Health Organization - Ageing and Health Unit: WHO unit setting global policy on healthy ageing, including the Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030. Comparable as a global ageing-policy actor with vastly larger scale, but focused on health rather than the broader rights/income/humanitarian remit of HelpAge.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HelpAge International social profiles
Digital presenceHelpAge International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HelpAge International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
HelpAge International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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HelpAge International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HelpAge International
What does HelpAge International do?
HelpAge International is a UK-registered charity (charity number 288180) founded in 1983 that delivers humanitarian assistance, social protection advocacy, and policy research for older people globally. The organization coordinates a worldwide network of partner organizations and Older People's Associations, runs programs across eight thematic areas (humanitarian action, income security, healthy ageing, society for all ages, climate change, gender equality, rights of older people, and challenging ageism), and campaigns for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Is HelpAge International a public or private company?
HelpAge International is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HelpAge International founded?
HelpAge International was founded in 1983. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is HelpAge International based?
HelpAge International is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does HelpAge International make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and charitable contributions.
Who are HelpAge International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Age International, HelpAge USA, Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), AARP, International Federation on Ageing (IFA), HelpAge Canada and Age UK. Others are UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and World Bank - Social Protection & Labour Global Practice. World Health Organization - Ageing and Health Unit is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does HelpAge International have an API?
No public API is recorded for HelpAge International.
What industry is HelpAge International in?
HelpAge International's product category is International Humanitarian and Ageing Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADABAF, Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs, with a secondary code of BPADABAA, Country Development Assistance Programs (Bilateral ODA). Its NAICS code is 624120 and its SIC code is 8300.