Industry figures and parliamentarians have issued a joint plea for more housing for older people, saying there is an urgent need to address supply-side barriers
There is an urgent need for more housing for older people, parliamentarians and industry figures have asserted in a roundtable discussion reviewing policy changes and issues relating to housing provision for elderly people.
With the population aged 85 and over expected to number 3.2 million by mid-2041, the demand for an increased provision of high standard senior housing will only increase in the years to come.
The roundtable included industry representatives and parliament figures
The roundtable, hosted by The Rt Hon Damian Green MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Social Care, included representatives from the Retirement Housing Group, the Associated Retirement Community Operators and the Home Builders Federation, and discussed issues relating to the provision of housing for older people.
Attendees agreed that there have been years of under supply despite the ageing population and called for government support to address this imbalance.
Discussing the benefits of retirement housing, Mr Green spoke about how increasing its supply would free up housing for younger people when older people downsize.
Others noted that retirement housing helps reduce the impact of the ageing population on the NHS and social care system.
Planning reform was identified as a key barrier to delivering housing
Attendees also discussed how barriers to building more housing for older people can be overcome. They agreed that planning is the key barrier, and called for reforms to specifically encourage the supply of retirement housing.
This included stronger local and national guidance, putting retirement housing on the same basis as homes for first time buyers to incentivise supply, setting clear targets for delivery and supporting greater consumer understanding of this important sector.
Housing for older people must become a top priority of the government
Concluding the roundtable, attendees agreed that retirement housing must become a higher priority for the government, and called for it to urgently launch the proposed Older People’s Housing Taskforce, as promised in the Levelling Up White Paper in February 2022.
Damien Green has subsequently written to housing minister Lucy Frazer MP and social care minister Helen Whately MP to call for its launch.
Green commented: “Our population is ageing rapidly and retirement housing supply is not being provided at the rate needed. Just c.7,000 new retirement housing properties are delivered annually, versus the estimated demand for 50,000.
“The Government has promised to create a taskforce to address this, which has the opportunity to change the status quo, and be bold and ambitious in its mission to make specialist homes for older people a priority.
“Tackling these important issues has cross-party support and would have a transformational effect on the wellbeing of older people.”
