An accommodation crisis facing all ages

The government has committed to building 1.5 million new homes this parliament. But for the most part, attention is focused on those struggling to buy their first home. While this is clearly an important focus, another crisis is unfolding which affects those at the other end of the age spectrum just as severely and is a pressing concern for the nation's specialist housing providers.

As the independent report Our future homes: housing that promotes wellbeing and community for an ageing population reiterates, the UK faces a serious shortage of purpose-built housing for later living. Currently, only around 5,000 to 7,000 Later Living Homes (LLH) are constructed each year, despite total annual housebuilding figures reaching approximately 200,000. Both figures fall far short of requirements, with estimates suggesting that between 30,000 and 50,000 new LLH are required annually to stay aligned with the country's ageing demographic. What's more, with an ageing population — an estimated 8.3 million people (26 per cent of the population) will be 65 or over by 2066 — should LLH not be further up the agenda?

Regardless of these concerning statistics, planning policy does not adequately address need. This is worrying for the sector as, without necessary changes to planning policy, it seems inevitable that the ongoing shortcomings are more likely to exacerbate rather than abate the challenges we face.