Press Story

Households of over-65s are set to grow dramatically over the next ten years, according to a new report from the think tank IPPR North, published today.

The new report shows that the number of over 85s will grow the most and will rise by 33 per cent over the next ten years. But the IPPR North's report shows that the English housing market is ill-equipped to cope with an aging population and argues that older people are being let down by inadequate choice, with a growing mismatch between older people and appropriate housing stock.

The report shows that 95% of the national housing stock is not fully accessible for older people and a quarter of English houses have no accessibility features at all. The report shows that 1.7 million people over 60 are already living in houses which do not meet the government's Decent Homes standard.

The report argues that it should be easier for older people to fund adaptions for their own homes and that the building of accessible homes should encouraged. Along with recommending better standards over accessibility and space, the report argues that collective models of living would help tackle isolation and reduce the financial burden on the adult social care system. It draws on international examples of innovation in Sweden, the USA and Germany.

The report recommends that new housing developments should adopt Lifetime Homes Standards (LHS) to support independent living and that national space standards should be embedded in national building regulations. It recommends that new homes built to these specifications should be exempt from Stamp Duty (up to a sale value of £500,000 where the buyer is over 55). The report also recommends that middle to high income earners over 50 should be offered a choice of insurance or equity release loans to help them shoulder the costs of home adaptations.

Bill Davies, IPPR North Research Fellow, said:

"Older people are the fastest growing age group in our population but the English housing market is failing to provide good quality homes that will allow them to continue to live independent lives.

"If we aspire to build over 200,000 homes per year, it is essential that we think harder about who these homes are for, and who is going to buy them. House building that reflects the space and accessibility that older people want is essential if we are to support people to live independent lives, free up large family homes, and control the costs of social care."

Notes to Editors

The new report – For Future Living: Innovative measures to join up housing and health -– will be available from: http://www.ippr.org/publications/for-future-living-innovative-approaches-to-joining-up-housing-and-health

Contacts

Sofie Jenkinson, 07981 023 031, s.jenkinson@ippr.org

Richard Darlington, 07525 481 602, r.darlington@ippr.org

Tessa Evans, 07875 727 298, t.evans@ippr.org