The Older Peoples Housing Taskforce has estimated that the UK should be building between 30,000 and 50,000 new later living homes every year in order to support its growing population of older people but is only building around 7,000 a year.Julienne Meyer, professor of care for older people at the School of Health and Psychological Sciences at City, University of London, who chaired the task force, said we are at a sliding door moment [where] the number of people of pensionable age is rising faster than people of working age, while the housing market itself falls significantly short on the needs of older people.The Older Peoples Housing Taskforce was set up to assess the UK market for specialised and supported later-living options, across both the public and private sectors. It concluded its research in May 2024, and published a report this week.AdvertisementThe research focused in particular on the private market for people on middle incomes and looked at options for how to secure better choice, quality and security for older peoples housing.On top of housing delivery, the report found that the UK housing market is failing older people on leasehold options, which are unaffordable for the majority of English households aged 75 years and over; on accessibility, with only 12 per cent of older people having level access to their building; and on awareness of options with older people unaware of the options available to them.More than 9 out of 10 over-65s live in mainstream housing in the UK, while just 0.6 per cent live in specialist housing with care, according to the research a 10th of the proportion achieved in countries such as the USA and New Zealand.The taskforce has made nine core recommendations to the government regarding housing for older people, plus an overarching recommendation that the government establish a new delivery capability to carry this transformative work forward.Among its nine recommendations are: standardising definitions for older peoples housing; incentivising a diverse range of older peoples housing; ensuring more specialist housing for older people is built; ensuring its inclusivity; ensuring its affordability; and strengthening planning policies around it.AdvertisementIn her foreword to the report, Meyer insisted that a big step in the right direction would be for system-wide recognition that age-friendly and inclusive homes and neighbourhoods work for everyone, whereas design for younger ages does not always address issues presented later in the life course.Meyer added: Ensuring suitable, accessible and affordable housing for later living is a societal obligation on which the current housing market falls significantly short. Source:Pillar VisualsA newly-improved 'integrated retirement community' by RCKa in ChigwellHousing minister Matthew Pennycook said the government would give careful consideration to the findings as part of its commitment to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years.In a ministerial statement on Tuesday (November 26), Pennycook said the government will ensure that considerations around older peoples housing inform our approach to the planning policy changes that it has promised.He added that government proposals for the promotion of mixed-use sites including housing designed for specific groups, such as older people, were tested during the recent consultation on National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reforms. The results of the consultation are yet to be published.Pennycook said the government was also working closely with the Planning Advisory Service to try to provide more clarity on how planning use classes apply to specialist older people's housing, as per the reports recommendations.He added: The government is committed to helping older people to live comfortably and independently at home for as long as possible.Tim Riley, who leads on retirement living projects for architecture practice RCKa, has criticised the report for being too broad in its recommendations, which he says, lack priority.Riley said the taskforce was right to recommend ways to provide more age-friendly housing but added: What we urgently need is recognition of the sector within the NPPF and dedicated planning policy.British Property Federation assistant director of policy Theo Plowman described the housebuilding figures for older people as stark.He added: National and local planning systems must enable greater volumes of age-appropriate housing. This means ensuring local plans adequately reflect the need for specialist housing and mainstream developments incorporate these principles. A long-term national housing strategy for an ageing population is urgently needed to prepare for the profound impacts of our ageing society. Such a strategy would help people live healthier, more independent lives, make better use of housing stock and reduce pressure on health and social care services.RMArchitects director Richard Morton, who was the sole architect on the task force and heavily involved in the reports design recommendations, said two of the recommendations stood out to him: the need to design not only for physical accessibility but for the many less visible challenges of increasing age, including sensory loss and dementia; and the need, not only to produce an updated design code but to institute an ongoing system for all incoming design guidance to be reviewed for its impact on the older population.Morton added: 'With ten million of us now over 65 it is hugely important that we radically improve the supply and the quality of housing for our older population. Im delighted that the importance and strength of this new report, commissioned by a Tory government, has been taken on board by the new minister and I look forward to seeing its many recommendations put into practice.'Jenny Buterchi, a partner at PRP with experience of delivering later living schemes across the country, added: 'The report rightly emphasises the importance of creating design guidance, including a national design code, for age-friendly and inclusive housing that focuses on the health and wellbeing of our older population. I fully support the imperative to design inclusive communities that cater for a range of health, mobility and cultural needs.'The recommendations for funding, legislative and planning reform could create a real impetus to drive forward supply, I hope to see these filter through to government policies and industry change in the near future.'2024-11-27Anna Highfieldcomment and share