Third anniversary of Older People's Housing Taskforce announcement
It was with great excitement that, three years ago, the then government announced the establishment of an independent Taskforce to explore ways of boosting the supply of housing for older people, particularly purpose-built specialist accommodation such as retirement housing and extra care, also known as integrated retirement communities. How time flies!
Chaired by Professor Julienne Meyer, the Housing LIN’s CEO, Jeremy Porteus, was honoured to have been appointed onto this year-long, prestigious Taskforce.
Reporting on the 2024 General Election, the expert report - Our Future Homes: Housing that Promotes Wellbeing and Community for an Ageing Population - highlighted the urgent need for accessible, affordable age-appropriate housing solutions. It offered over 90 strategic and operational recommendations to address significant barriers to market development. They included:
- key age-friendly national, regional and local policy and housing and regeneration strategy measures,
- age-aware planning, funding and investment opportunities,
- age-inclusive HAPPI design, technology and product developments to improve and/or grow supply,
- sector leadership and research to stimulate innovation and good practice,
- and actions to achieve better housing information and advice services for older consumers to help give greater choice and confidence.
However, three years on, while Government has introduced some several important mainstream housing commitments, to date, it has yet to formally fully respond to the Taskforce’s report or publish its long-awaited national housing strategy and plan, and/or to refer to overarching interventions or ‘package’ that will specifically support housing for older people.
The sector waits with anticipation for an announcement but in the meantime continues to seek operational service improvements, raise design quality, conduct market research to inform commissioning and procurement opportunities, and coproduce and engage with older people to better understand their later living needs and preferences.
If you found this of interest, read Professor Meyer’s recent joint guest blog, "Silent Crisis Unfolding in Plain Sight", with Anchor’s new CEO, Rachael Shimmin, for the Housing LIN on the need to avoid "housing inertia".
In addition, the Housing LIN and Vivensa Foundation are delighted to be at the forefront of supporting sector learning and improvement, and taking the Taskforce recommendations forward. Look out for further announcements about our SHAPE programme (Suitable Housing for an Ageing Population Evidence Exchange) and - building on the HAPPI and TAPPI principles - how we will be inviting bids to test out ideas and further explore the latest age-friendly housing opportunities at a locality level across different sites in the UK.