As society ages, good-quality homes are needed more than ever before
This week the government's cross-department Older People’s Housing Taskforce released its report on the housing options available to us as we age, highlighting the need to improve the quantity and quality of our homes.
Our Deputy Director for Homes, Holly Holder, outlines why the recommendations are a positive step forward – and what needs to happen next.
We very much welcome the recommendations of the independent Older People’s Housing Taskforce and its recognition that older people are not a homogeneous group.
Included among the report’s recommendations are ensuring more housing is designed for later life, creating Age-friendly, dementia-inclusive, faith and culture-sensitive communities and establishing a national information platform and local hubs on housing options available to older people local.
And what we need now is for the government to outline the steps it is going to take in response to this report because, with a rapidly ageing population, the number of people in unsuitable housing will rise.
The government is planning to build 1.5 million houses over the next five years, and therefore it’s imperative that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past by building homes that do not fit the needs of our changing demographics.
The government must also take urgent action to tackle the millions of damp, cold and hazardous homes that cause accidents, illness and even death. For far too long, too many older people have been living in unsuitable homes and there needs to be much better planning for the range of homes and care needs that older people have.
We know that demand will increase for adapted housing, and we must respond to the varying housing needs of older people into the future.
The Taskforce’s recommendation for the creation of an Office for an Ageing Population is therefore well-timed and reflects the need for a more coordinated approach to an ageing population by government. We have called for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing to address this.
The Taskforce also highlighted the need for a network of local hubs to provide better information and advice for individuals about their housing options, including support to stay in their own home.
The report pointed to the Good Home Hub model developed by the Centre for Ageing Better, as an example of how home improvement agencies can be improved. It noted that those wanting to repair, adapt or improve their current home are often unable to find trusted local agencies to undertake the work needed.
We are also pleased to see the Taskforce acknowledge the need for more housing to be accessible and adaptable given the high proportion of people that will develop mobility issues or become more susceptible to falls as they age.
The Taskforce calls for Part M4(2) of the Building Regulations to be immediately implemented for all new homes, and we believe that this is a quick win that the government could achieve that will have far-reaching impacts for anyone who needs accessible housing in the future.
We would like to see the government adopt these recommendations in full. There are close to 8 million people living in unsafe homes, including 2.2 million older people. The government should not hesitate in tackling this housing crisis and implementing these recommendations would be a welcome start towards this.
