New plan to encourage more support for the ageing population to access home adaptations

The Housing and Ageing Alliance (HAA) has stated that a national strategy is needed urgently to address the housing needs of the UK’s ageing population.

The call is among a recently published 15-point plan by the HAA, an alliance of senior leaders from a wide range of organisations including Age UK, Independent Age, the National Housing Federation, and Housing LIN.

‘Creating Homes We Want to Grow Old In: A 15-Point Plan’ from the HAA calls for a national older people’s housing strategy, strengthened information and advice, more support for home adaptations, and strengthened planning guidance to increase the supply of older people’s housing.

The points include a national older people’s housing strategy developed by central government; older people have access to independent information, advice and advocacy around housing and care options in later life; the UK Government establishes a Cabinet-level Minister for older people and ageing, and an Older People and Ageing Commissioner is appointed.

It also states that local authorities should develop older people’s housing strategies that map existing housing for older people across all types and tenures, its availability and condition, and where there are notable gaps; all older people should have the right to access practical, affordable housing repair and adaptation services, and Government should stimulate a greater range of financial products and develop a strategy to encourage homeowners and landlords to invest in improving, maintaining and adapting homes.

Additionally, radical improvement in the speed and efficiency of Disabled Facilities Grant delivery and government should consult on the means test, upper limit and funding allocation, and local and national planning guidance increasing the supply of housing for older people, including a requirement to assess and then plan for specialist housing for older people across all types and tenures in Local Plans, and encourage delivery, is included.

The plan also says the National Planning Policy Framework should have stronger direction on older people’s housing, including affordable housing, and age-friendly communities, the UK Government should implement without delay its commitment to increase accessibility standards of new homes, and Homes England investment in all supported housing should expand, with a minimum of 10 percent of its grant programme to be for older people’s housing.

Finally, it includes planning for specialist homes to encourage common spaces in new-build developments, tackling isolation, research to tackle the issues and barriers to extending shared ownership for older people in mainstream and specialist homes, and the UK Government and local authorities engaging with the recommendations of the TAPPI Inquiry and Smarter Homes for Independent Living to increase access to technological solutions.

HAA Chair Mario Ambrosi said: “Our ageing population brings colossal change and is a surprise to precisely no one. Yet public policies and systems are increasingly inadequate for the challenges and opportunities it brings.”

“Everyone deserves an affordable, accessible home. Our 15-point plan sets out practical steps that Government can put in place now to enable people to age in place while increasing the supply of aspirational homes designed specifically for older people’s needs.

The HAA is made up of individuals from local and national organisations working together with a single objective: to bring about improvements to the housing and living conditions of older people.

The membership of the alliance reflects a range of housing interests, including older people who are active in housing related networks; national organisations from the statutory, voluntary, and private sectors; and those involved in policy development and representation on various housing related advisory bodies.

Mario added: “Actions such as implementing the government commitment to increase accessibility standards of new homes can happen immediately. At the same time, Government should develop a national older people’s housing strategy to drive a shift in supply to address needs of the older people of tomorrow.”

“We are grateful to Older People’s Housing Taskforce chair Professor Julienne Meyer for engaging so proactively with alliance members. While we understand the taskforce cannot address every area of older people’s housing, we look forward to seeing the recommendations and urge all political parties to act on them.”

A Northamptonshire-based housing association recently received a further £2 million for its new independent living scheme.