October 2026 · By Nicola Clubbe · Evidence checked 7 October 2026

Autumn underfoot: staying steady through October

October brings colourful walks, cooler days and earlier darkness. It also brings surfaces that deserve a little more attention. Wet leaves, rain and, later in the season, ice can make familiar paths slippery. A few practical changes can help you keep moving with confidence. [1]

Before you head out

• Choose your route and timing. Where possible, walk in daylight and use well-lit, maintained paths. Allow extra time so you do not need to hurry.
• Check the weather and ground. Look for wet leaves, mud, uneven paving and frost. After windy weather, watch for fallen branches and debris; change your route rather than stepping over something you cannot manage safely.
• Dress for the conditions. Wear well-fitting footwear with a secure fastening and good grip. Keep warm and use your prescribed walking aid if you have one.
• Take a charged phone. Keep it accessible. If you feel unsteady, consider company for your walk and let someone know your route.
• Pause before distractions. Stop somewhere safe to check your phone, rather than looking down while walking. Use handrails on steps and take care on slippery ramps.

These are practical precautions based on NHS seasonal advice; they cannot remove every risk. Ask for help clearing your own path if you cannot do it safely. [1]

A safer home matters too

Keep walkways and stairs clear, secure loose rugs and trailing cables, and clean spills promptly. Turn on lights before moving around; a bedside light can help with night-time trips to the bathroom. Use suitable bathroom grab rails and non-slip surfaces. Keep frequently used items within reach, and ask for help with tasks that involve unsafe climbing or reaching. Avoid rushing to answer the door or phone. [2]

Families can help by checking lighting and trip hazards together, agreeing how to call for help and discussing an appropriate personal alarm. If everyday tasks are becoming difficult, ask your local council about a needs assessment and occupational therapy support. [2]

Strength and balance: more than “be careful”

Fall risk can involve strength, balance, eyesight, medicines and health conditions as well as the ground underfoot. Tell your GP about a fall, new dizziness or worsening balance. Ask a GP or pharmacist to review medicines if you think they affect your steadiness; do not stop prescribed medicines yourself. Keep up with eye checks, eat regularly and stay hydrated. [3]

NICE’s April 2025 guideline recommends individualised, progressive falls-prevention exercise focused on relevant abilities such as balance, coordination and strength. An assessed programme and review of progress are more useful than choosing random difficult balance exercises. Staying active matters, but the starting point should suit your ability and medical needs. [4]

What do the figures tell us?

The impact lasts beyond the fall

A fall can bring pain, fracture and loss of confidence. Some people then move less, find shopping or getting out harder, and need more support to stay independent. Families may face new caring responsibilities, changes to routines and worries about their relative being alone. These are reasons to seek support early, even when there is no obvious serious injury. [8]

For scale, UK government falls guidance cites an estimated £435 million cost to the NHS in England from unaddressed home fall hazards and an estimated £4.4 billion annual UK cost of fragility fractures, including £1.1 billion for social care. These are older estimates reproduced in that guidance, not newly measured 2026 costs or BCUHB expenditure. Fragility fractures and all falls are different measures, so these figures should not be added together. [9]

Is there a “correct way to fall”?

The NHS resources linked here explain what to do after a fall and how to get up when it is safe. They do not prescribe one universally safe landing technique. Do not deliberately practise falling or try floor transfers alone if you are unsure; a suitable professional can assess what you can safely practise.

After a fall: pause, check, then get help

Stay calm and check for pain or injury before trying to move. Call 999 if you cannot get up, or may have injured your head, neck, back or hip. For other pain, injury or feeling unwell after a fall, call NHS 111 Wales. Do not try to lift another person yourself. [3]

Only if you are uninjured and feel able to get up safely:

1. Take your time and roll onto your side.
2. Use your arms to move onto hands and knees.
3. Move towards a stable support, such as a sturdy chair, if you can do so safely.
4. Put your hands on the support and bring your stronger foot forward onto the floor.
5. Use your arms and legs to rise slowly, then turn carefully and sit down to rest.

This follows Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS guidance, reviewed July 2026. Stop and seek help if pain or difficulty develops. If you cannot get up, use your phone or alarm, or shout for help. Keep warm with something within reach; follow emergency-service advice about movement if injury is suspected. Tell someone you have fallen and arrange a review of the cause. [10]

A steadier autumn starts with a conversation

At The Functional Care Clinic, suitable falls-prevention support can include an assessment, strength and balance work, education and a digital home exercise plan through Rehab Guru. Follow-ups depend on your needs. Medical causes of falls and any injury needing urgent care must be assessed through the appropriate NHS service.

If you are unsure which appointment to choose, arrange a free, pre-booked 10-minute phone or video discovery call. It is an introductory conversation, not a clinical assessment.

Sources & dates

Sources checked 7 October 2026. Dates refer to publication, review or reporting periods as stated. Figures describe different populations and measures; no estimate of “preventable BCUHB admissions” is inferred.

1. University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS: staying on your feet in winter — seasonal precautions.
2. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS: staying safe at home — reviewed July 2026.
3. NHS: falls — reviewed 6 March 2025; prevention and help after a fall. In Wales, use NHS 111 Wales.
4. NICE NG249: falls assessment and prevention — published 29 April 2025.
5. Welsh Ambulance Services: Finance and Performance Committee papers, 17 March 2026 — “Falls Service Provision”, reporting 2025 activity.
6. BCUHB supporting papers, 24 September 2026 — ADP Q1 report, printed pp. 30–33; risk-assurance action 3A.1.
7. Digital Health and Care Wales: Hospital Admissions Annual Tables — headline page covering 2016/17–2024/25, extracted 15 August 2025.
8. NHS Cheshire and Merseyside: falls and their impact — 15 September 2025.
9. UK government: Falls — applying All Our Health — older national estimates, not current North Wales cost data.
10. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS: what to do if you fall — reviewed July 2026.

General information for adults; individual advice depends on your health, injuries and circumstances.