Later living: keeping building and development on the agenda

The government has repeatedly affirmed its ambitions to get Britain building. We have seen a variety of updates and announcements, with new policies and reforms launched which place a far greater emphasis on planning, development, and a particular focus on housing and infrastructure development. Measures such as the tabled Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the National Housing Bank, as well as the Infrastructure Strategy and Industrial Strategy have placed comprehensive development at the forefront of government concern.

However, the care and later living sectors have not received equivalent attention or the same level of urgency, despite the pressing need driven by the UK's rapidly ageing population. This oversight poses a significant challenge, as the demographic shift demands a strategic response in planning and development.

Over the course of the last 40 years, the number of people aged older than 50 has risen by around 6.8 million, constituting an increase of 47 per cent, while the number of those aged older than 65 has risen by over 3.5 million, an increase of 52 per cent. It is reported that there are more than 10 million people currently aged 65 and over in England, which comprises 18 per cent of the population. The pressures of this older population are only getting more and more evident — according to the ONS and Age UK, the proportion of people aged above 50 is forecast to rise by as much as 20 per cent by 2045.