This study was commissioned to inform the King's Fund Care Services Inquiry, which was set up in response to concerns about the quality , appropriateness and adequacy of care services for older people in London. The King's Fund wanted to investigate how local authorities and their PCT partners were commissioning care services for older people in London, recognising that which services are commissioned, and how they are commissioned, determines to a large extent what is available in the care market. The King's Fund also wanted to explore allegations being made in the debate about a 'crisis in care', which implied that local authorities could be doing rather better in commissioning. This paper summarises the main findings of the study. [Introduction abbreviated]