More homes suitable for older people need to be built in UK

Older people in the UK need a better choice of homes and planning authorities are to be required to take their requirements into account when drawing up their housing policies.

According to the Government’s new Housing White Paper helping older people to move at the right time and in the right way will not only help their quality of life but free up homes for other buyers.

The document gives official backing to the idea of encouraging downsizing where older people who live in a large family home once their children have moved should move to smaller properties. It says too many end up living in large homes that perhaps they cannot afford to maintain.

It wants more housing suitable for older people to be built and is introducing a new statutory duty through the Neighbourhood Planning Bill on the Secretary of State to produce guidance for local planning authorities on how their local development documents should meet the housing needs of older and disabled people.

The White Paper also suggests that incentives could be introduced in the future to encourage and help older home owners to downsize.

‘Guidance produced under this duty will place clearer expectations about planning to meet the needs of older people, including supporting the development of such homes near local services, the document says.

‘It will also set a clear expectation that all planning authorities should set policies using the Optional Building Regulations to bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing to meet local need. In addition, we will explore ways to stimulate the market to deliver new homes for older people,’ it added.

It also explains that currently there are many barriers to people moving out of family homes that they may have lived in for decades. There are costs, such as fees, and the moving process can be difficult. And they may have a strong emotional attachment to their home which means that where they are moving to needs to be very attractive to them and suitable for their needs over a twenty to thirty year period. There is also often a desire to be close to friends and family, so the issues are not straightforward.

‘The Government is committed to exploring these issues further and finding sustainable solutions to any problems that come to light. To do this we will draw on the expertise of a wide range of stakeholders including house builders, mortgage lenders, housing associations, local authorities and most importantly older people and the groups that represent them,’ the paper explains.

‘We want to build on the evidence that already exists to help deliver outcomes that are best for older people. This conversation will generate a range of ideas for incentives and other innovations for the Government to consider: improved information and advice for older people about housing choices, including advice on adaptations, supporting custom build for older people, looking at how community living could work as well as innovative models of housing with support available,’ it adds.

The key to this policy will being able to provide the right kind of housing, according to Clive Fenton, chief executive officer of McCarthy & Stone. ‘Millions of older home owners are considering downsizing but have become stuck due to a lack of good, high quality housing that suits their needs,’ he said.

‘The country’s first housing strategy for six years commendably offers the opportunity to finally address years of undersupply and we are particularly pleased to see positive references to increasing provision of housing that meets the needs and aspirations of older people, including building more specialist retirement housing,’ he added.

But he pointed out that only around.141,000 units of owner occupied retirement housing have ever been built and many older people are forced to struggle on in unsuitable property or move into care, even though that might not be the best solution for them.

‘Better and more appropriate housing in later life helps maintain independence, keeps older people happier and healthier for longer, and out of care, and at the same time frees up under occupied homes for use by younger people,’ Fenton explains.

He also pointed out that currently only around 5,500 units of retirement housing are delivered each year across all tenures, but research suggests that with the right planning environment this could be increased to 200,00 to 30,000 units per year.