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Housing for Older People

These curated pages offer a selection of useful resources that provide information about a range of designated housing choices for older people, including extra care housing, sheltered/retirement housing, almshouses, intergenerational housing, cohousing and downsizing. Use the menu on the left-hand side to navigate these pages.

Key recent documents include:

The Older People’s Housing Taskforce report (November 2024). This makes a number of wide-ranging recommendations which, if applied, will provide a greater range of mainstream and specialist housing choices for an ageing population and neighbourhoods for later living.
The Housing LIN/Ipsos Older People’s Housing Preferences report (December 2024). This offers critical and comprehensive evidence about the housing circumstances, aspirations and preferences of older adults in the UK. Funded by Innovate UK, this report is the first of 2 new resources. Drawing on the report’s findings, the second resource (due out in 2025), is an updated modelling tool that will enable local authorities better forecast the accommodation needs of older people in their localities.

Visit our consultancy, research and advisory services webpage for more information about what we can offer or email us at consultancy@housinglin.org.uk to set up a meeting to discuss your requirements.

Older People’s Housing Taskforce Report: The Key Points

First published by Pozzoni on 7 January 2025, this Housing LIN guest blog by Director, Nigel Saunders shares a brief synopsis of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Older People’s Housing Preferences

This report offers critical and comprehensive evidence about the housing circumstances, aspirations and preferences of older adults in the UK. Produced by Ipsos in partnership with the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN) with funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Our Future Homes: Housing that promotes wellbeing and community for an ageing population

Six months on from the submission of recommendations to the previous government, the new government has today released the independent Older People’s Housing Taskforce report. Entitled ‘Our Future Homes: Housing that promotes wellbeing and community for an ageing population’, it finds that there is an urgent need for age-appropriate housing solutions and makes a number of strategic and operational recommendations to address these.

Building for the future with Abdul Ravat: “we need a long-term housing plan”

This blog was originally published on LinkedIn and is written by Abdul A Ravat, Abbeyfield Living Society & Chair, National Housing Federation’s (NHF) older persons housing group.

Age-friendly, socially connected multi-unit housing

This Canadian report, from a collaboration between Happy Cities, Hey Neighbour Collective and Simon Fraser University, highlights design ideas and research findings to support ageing in the right place.

Housing LIN Case Study 173: Regenerating the Aylesbury - Harriet Hardy House

This case study, updated and edited by Payal Ceurvels, Associate at Mæ, focuses on a challenging intergenerational mix, made up of a variety of residential accommodation types which require progressive levels of privacy across shared spaces, and within a dense urban environment.

Redefining retirement communities with Sanctuary Supported Living

Written by Amanda Ellwood-Roberts, Deputy Head of Service for Sanctuary Supported Living, this blog talks about Sanctuary Supported Living’s new vision for retirement communities and how it’s reshaping our approach to supporting people in later life.

Making the right move in later life

This blog by Elspeth Shaw, former Occupational Therapist and retirement housing resident, explores the journey of finding a retirement home after 40 years of moving between housing. Read on to find out more about their thoughtful approach to downsizing, the importance of future-proofing and the unique benefits of living among like-minded individuals.

My Grand Tour to Great Britain: looking for a third way for senior living

This blog by Ignacio Gutiérrez, Former Manager at Monteparís Mayores, explores the fascinating journey of discovering innovative later living and care projects across Europe.

Measuring the Wellbeing and Fiscal Impacts of Housing for Older People

This research and evaluation report and supplementary document by SQW for Homes England provides evidence on measuring social value in older people's housing. It is one of 4 reports commissioned by Homes England into social value.

UK Seniors Housing Report 2024

Real estate services firm JLL has undertaken research which reveals a shortage of up to 46,000 homes for older people in the UK in the next five years.

A piece of the housing puzzle: Context, barriers and opportunities for community housing in the north-east

This report by the New Economics Foundation addresses a gap in understanding of the potential role that community housing can play in the north-east of England. Highlighting a range of community-led housing solutions, it’s findings identify key policy levers that the central government can use to elicit positive change at both local and combined authority level to support the expansion and longevity of the sector.

Housing Options

This guide by Age UK goes through a selection of housing options for older people covering considerations they can make when wanting to make changes to help stay living where they are, seeking to move to a new house or moving somewhere with more support such as sheltered housing, extra care housing or a care home.

Toolkit for place-based plans for housing for older adults

This toolkit, as part of the Serious Game Project funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, is designed to support local areas, strategically and methodically, in thinking about and creating their plans for housing for older adults.

Locked out: A New Perspective on Older People’s Housing Choices

This briefing, published by the Centre for Ageing Better, sets out how we can challenge the persistent and misleading narratives around older people’s housing and deliver local housing plans that work for people of all ages.

Finding the right place to grow older

Published by the Centre for Ageing Better, this report investigates how we can better understand the difficulties faced by over 4 million older people actively seeking to move home to improve their quality of life.

Seniors Housing Development Update 2023

Knight Frank's Seniors Housing Development Update 2023 explores how increasing private sector investment is supporting an uptick in supply - delivery of new units reached its highest level since 2018 last year – but with a structural imbalance between supply and demand, the need for further expansion is more important than ever.

Supported and older people’s housing development survey

At the end of 2022, the National Housing Federation surveyed their members about their development plans for supported housing over the next five years. They also asked about the most significant barriers to the development of more homes. Here are the results!

Moving on: could later living be the answer to the housing crisis?

Research by Shakespeare Martineau shows that the majority of people believe that rightsizing to a home that better suits their needs is either unaffordable, reserved for the point of health crisis, or simply a ‘problem for when I’m older’.

The Mayhew Review: Future-proofing retirement living

The Government must build 50,000 new homes for older people each year to tackle the UK’s housing and social care crisis – one in four of all new homes - a report published by ARCO has urged.

Housing our Ageing Population

Written by the Housing LIN for the LGA, the report captures the learning from a selection of exemplar councils which demonstrate how they are playing a significant place-making role in shaping the current and future supply of housing for an ageing population in their areas.

Communicating about older peoples housing choices is not a luxury item: our starting point for change

Jessamy Hayes, Programme Manager, Independent Living and Supported Living at Norfolk County Council, reflects on the findings from a series of focus groups held with Norfolk residents in early 2020 that revealed the complexity associated with promoting a new housing scheme.

Older People’s Care in Social Housing: A Manifesto for Change

Published by Altair and sponsored by The Guinness Partnership, Housing 21 and Devonshires, ‘Older People’s Care in Social Housing: A Manifesto for Change’ brings together research on Registered Provider’s role in housing and care, past, present and future.

New Housing LIN guest blog explores the relationship between Lovell Later Living and Places for People Living Plus

This new Housing LIN guest blog explores the ongoing partnership between Places for People Living Plus, Lovell Later Living and the Morgan Sindall Group that is helping local authorities to deliver Extra Care housing developments in Hampshire and Norfolk, and is committed to assisting local authorities to fulfil their commitment to creating heathy communities for older and vulnerable people.

Does Moving to Alternative Housing Mean Creating a New Home?

In this new Housing LIN guest blog, Dr Sheila Peace, Emeritus Professor of Social Gerontology, School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, The Open University, and a past president of the British Society of Gerontology, reflects on her book and her thoughts on the meaning of home in older age.

A place we can call home: A vision and a roadmap for providing more options for housing with care and support for older people

This report, published by the social care institute of excellence (SCIE), concludes that an overhaul is needed on how housing with care and support is planned, commissioned, designed and delivered.

Seniors Housing Annual Review - 2021

Knight Frank's market leading research examines the fundamentals of the private Senior Living market from the strong demographic landscape to sales and rental performance of the largest private operators.

Framework for Creating Age-Friendly Homes in Greater Manchester

The Framework for Creating Age-Friendly Homes in Greater Manchester was developed by the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub’s Housing, Planning and Ageing Group and sets out the thematic priorities for partners to deliver on the ambition of the Age-Friendly Strategy to, ‘increase the supply of age-friendly homes’.

The future of home: a mutual approach

Led by Nationwide Building Society, 25 major organisations have joined forces to tackle the UK housing crisis by forming action groups that will collaborate to help solve existing and future problems.

Raising the ambition for later living: The Lovell Approach

Paula Broadbent reflects on her first few months as Managing Director at Later Living by Lovell and is delighted to announce their Corporate Sponsorship with the Housing LIN

Vertical retirement villages: On the up!

In this Housing LIN guest blog Maarit Heinonen-Smith explores the vertical retirement village concept in a post COVID-19 world

Understanding supply, demand and investment in the market for retirement housing communities in England

The aim of this report is to review the existing evidence to provide an understanding of supply, demand and investment in the market for retirement housing communities in England.

Unlocking retirement opportunity in a post-pandemic world

This research on the future of the retirement living sector shows there is clear appetite for more housing options and this has only increased in light of the pandemic.

Retirement Housing: Marketing retirement housing as aspirational and not a sign of crisis

A cross-industry steering group, including the Housing LIN, has published a research report that highlights a significant disparity between public perception and actual offering at retirement housing schemes, as well as identifying clear issues with language and missed opportunities by the retirement housing sector’s marketing approach.

The Housing with Care Grey Paper: Personal stories and policy ideas on strengthening housing with care for older people

A cross-party group of MPs and Peers have joined forces with leaders from academia, finance, local politics and housing to call for urgent Government action to improve housing and care options for older people, in a new ‘Housing with Care Grey Paper’ published ARCO. The paper says the UK is at a “critical juncture” and one of its recommendations calls for a cross-government Housing with Care Task Force.

A roadmap to housing for an ageing population

Jeremy Porteus, Chief Executive of the Housing Learning and Improvement Network, sets out five key steps towards good quality housing for older people, and says better advice and information about local options is crucial.

What we want: Future-proofing retirement housing in England

The supply of retirement communities needs to be boosted by a third over the next 20 years to keep up with demographic change, according to latest research by the International Longevity Centre.

Silver Saviours for the High Street

This report by retirement living housebuilder McCarthy & Stones describes how new retirement properties create more local economic value and more local jobs than any other type of residential housing.

Building ventures to improve the quality of later life

This report by Zinc and commissioned by the Dunhill Medical Trust captures why, where and how to innovate in later life. It summarises key learning points from the perspective of innovators, researchers, older adults, and other experts who are building or supporting later life start-ups.

Coming of Age: Better Housing Options for Older People

A survey published by ARCO shows that nearly 90% of people think the Government should widen housing options for older people - including those with care, and that more than half of older people are interested in moving but lack good local downsizing options.

Senior Living Annual Review 2020

This Knight Frank report examines the key trends from the senior living market. It includes insights on the sales and operations that take place in this market as well as survey results from leading organisations in the sector.

Thinking Ahead: The Financial Benefits of Investing in Housing for Older People

This report form The Housing Agency in Ireland highlights the importance in the investment of social housing development in providing benefits to the state.

Home Delivery – Community Led Housing in rural Scotland

This report by Community Land Scotland, highlights the work carried out by the organisation contributing to the development of affordable housing in rural communities in Scotland.

Housing and Care for Older People: Defining the Sector

This report by the British Property Federation aims to provide central and local government stakeholders, as well as housing and care sector professionals, an understanding of the housing options available to older people in the UK.

Creating world class housing for an ageing population

This paper follows a roundtable discussion back in May 2020 in which the Housing LIN’s Ian Copeman took part. Hosted by Paddock Johnson Partnership, they invited a number of specialists in the field to openly share their thoughts on what is and isn’t working with the current models for older people’s accommodation and how things might change in light of the current pandemic.

An A-Z of Retirement Villages and Extra Care Schemes

We have created this A to Z of sheltered housing, retirement villages and extra care housing developments where one of the words in the scheme name begins with a letter of the alphabet. The list of 26 schemes is purely meant as a bit of light-hearted fun (#HLINfunday) in these difficult times. We welcome your suggestions, especially any schemes that have a U, X or Z at the beginning of the name of the scheme!

Knight Frank’s Senior Living Annual Performance Review - 2019

This report offers market leading research that examines the fundamentals of the private Senior Living market.

Housing options for older people in a reimagined housing system: a case study from England

This study by the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield, and the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University, explores older people’s choice between staying put and making do, or moving to specialist housing or residential care.

Innovation@Home: Approaches to Successful Aging in Community from 25 Countries

This report explores innovative approaches to age-friendly housing and neighbourhoods

Inquiry into decent and accessible homes for older people

This report from the APPG on Ageing and older people features recommendations to improve the standard of housing for older people

Shining a Spotlight on the Hidden Housing Market

A new report from the Housing LIN and Shakespeare Martineau that examines how we can reinvigorate the later living market.

How to Develop a Community-Led Approach to Age Friendly Housing in Central Bedfordshire

This report sets out action that will assist communities in Central Bedfordshire to take the next steps in implementing plans to increase the number of homes suitable for an ageing population.

Social & affordable housing in later life

This report by Francesca Sanders, a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellow examined a range of innovative and affordable housing solutions for later life in the USA, Japan and Canada and considers the suitability for adoption of these models in the UK.

Holding Back the Years - The Rise of Retirement Villages

A new report from Winckworth Sherwood that analyses the demand for retirement villages.

Building for the Baby Boomers

A new report from the Policy Exchange, looking at making a housing market for an ageing population.

Retirement Living - JLL Housing with Care Index

This report sets out a Housing with Care index alongside further analysis on the vast potential of this growing market in the UK.

Innovative Housing Models for an Ageing Population

As part of the government's Grand Challenges Industrial Strategy, Housing LIN organised a roundtable discussion about the future of housing for older people.

Housing and Ageing: Linking strategy to future delivery for Scotland, Wales and England 2030

This report looks at the future of housing and ageing across the UK.

Age Friendly Housing: What is needed for a step-change?

In the UK, our rapidly changing demographic, together with unprecedented funding pressures on sheltered, extra care and other forms of specialist housing mean that business as usual will not deliver the type and quantity of housing we need.

Rightsizing Report: Reframing the housing offer for older people

Commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority and funded by the Centre for Ageing Better, this report looks at the types of houses older people live in across the UK, the sort of house moves they make, and the reasons why.

Government response to the second report of 2017-19 of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into housing for older people.

This is the government response to the second report of session 2017-19 of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into housing for older people, which was published on 9 February 2018.

The challenge for designers is to show that the most sensible housing for older people can also be the most desirable

In this Housing LIN Viewpoint Laura Wigzell from the The Pretty, Good Project, reviews Age-Friendly Housing: Future Design for Older People.

Ideas for action: Older people shaping local housing policy and practice

The Older People's Housing Champions Group, working in partnership with Care & Repair England and local organisations from different parts of England, has published a series of Ideas for Action guides.

Retirement living comes of age

Knight Frank report forecasts increased growth in the UK’s Retirement Living market over the coming years.

Your choice of home in later life: a guide to housing options for older people in Scotland

This guide from Age Scotland provides an array of key information targeted at those thinking about their housing needs in later life.

Housing for older people - Second Report of Session 2017–19

This new report from the CLG calls for a national strategy for older people's housing in order to bring together and improve policy in this area.

Retirement living to the full

This company overview from McCarthy & Stone gives just reasoning as to why they are the leaders of their sector, boasting a 70% share of the owner-occupied retirement housing market.

Moving insights from the over-55s: What homes do they buy

A report from NHBC Foundation that provides an analysis on the home-buying trends of the over-55s.

Inspiring new housing choices for older people in Walker, Newcastle

This Housing LIN Case Study no 141 provides an overview of the Tree Top Village in Walker and captures the lessons learned following a North East Housing LIN regional meeting and study tour.

Unlocking the housing market: Helping first time buyers by helping later life buyers

This report by Demos presents the findings and analysis of research exploring both how to stimulate the demand for and supply of older people's housing

CLG Housing for Older People Committee – Oral Evidence

A transcript of the 1st session of the Select Committee’s inquiry in housing for older people from 23rd October 2017. Also available is the LINs Jeremy Porteus giving oral evidence to the inquiry on Parliament TV.

Demonstrating the Health and Social Cost-Benefits of Lifestyle Housing for Older People

This report commissioned by Keepmoat Regeneration / ENGIE and prepared by the Housing LIN sets out the case for developing specialist retirement housing for people aged over 55.

United Kingdom Healthcare: Retirement comes of age

This CBRE report gives an overview of the retirement living sector

Platinum Generation

Latest research from Strutt & Parker and Octopus Healthcare reveals four key insights into retirement accommodation

Spotlight: Housing for Older People

A new residential research report by Savills highlights how the UK housing market is failing to meet the needs of thousands of older householders

Housing LIN response to the 2017 CLG Select Committee inquiry

The Housing Learning and Improvement Network and Elderly Accommodation Counsel submission recognises the importance of older people's housing development to the vital wider housing growth programme and the health and adult care integration agenda.

Housing with Care Index: Retirement Living

In this report JLL sets out their first Housing with Care index, alongside further analysis on the vast interest in the retirement living market in the UK.

The other end of the housing market: Housing for Older People

This paper from law firm Winckworth Sherwood, and supported by the Housing LIN, builds on a survey that sought to better understand what practical measures might be taken to improve later life housing.

Does living in a retirement village extend life expectancy? The case of Whiteley Village

This joint report by the International Longevity Centre - UK and Cass Business School investigates the possible benefits of retirement village life with respect to life expectancy, using Whiteley Village...

Generations Apart: The growth of age segregation in England and Wales

This report was developed by Legal & General and the Intergenerational Foundation and warns that growing age segregation imposes a range of costs on our society. In response to this IF and L&G...

Ageing, longevity and demographic change: A Factpack of statistics from the International Longevity Centre-UK

This International Longevity Centre-UK (ILC) 'Factpack' of demographic statistics for the UK provides statistics on a selection of topics. These range from life expectancy to housing supply, from pensions...

A future of the welfare state thinkpiece

Published as part of ILC-UK's "future of the state" project, this thinkpiece sets out that building and sustaining enough housebuilding to meet our chronic undersupply requires action on all levels,...

How can local government be better associated with delivering housing for an ageing population?

This Housing LIN viewpoint no 79 draws on PRP Architects' submission to the recent Local Government Association (LGA) Housing Commission and, in particular, one of the Commission's four themes: health...

Housing an Ageing Population (England)

This briefing paper from the House of Commons Library provides a comprehensive summary of the current policy and funding context for an ageing population in England. It covers a wider range of issues...

Forget "downsizing", think "rightsizing" to meet older people's housing needs and aspirations

In this Housing LIN Viewpoint no 76, Tony Watts writes that older people could make an important contribution to the housing crisis ... if only they were listened to when it comes to developing new housing....

Low-income retirees, financial position and wellbeing

This research published by the JRF looks at the relationship between income, wealth and the experience of retirement of low-income older households. Findings Different levels of low income, around...

Retirement Borrowing: reality, perceptions, projections and potential

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has outlined a range of recommendations for regulators, government and the mortgage industry itself to improve the market for older consumers who legitimately wish to...

Lending into Retirement

With the life expectancy of the UK population increasing by five hours a day, the building society sector has committed to review its maximum age limits for mortgage borrowers, as one way to better support...

Urban demographics: Why people live where they do

This report from the Centre for Cities suggests people's preferences for where they live change as they get older. The main reasons given most commonly by those aged 55 and over for living in their...

Retirement Living - Where is the Opportunity?

Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) have published this report that explores the market and examines the huge potential that exists for operators, developers and investors. It highlights a chronic shortage of...

Thinking Ahead: Housing, Care & Related Finance in Later Life

Silverlinks has developed a new 'teach yourself' booklet which covers different aspects of making decisions about housing & care, to help people reach informed decisions that are right for them....

Spotlight: Housing an Ageing Population

This report from Savills highlights the twin challenge of unlocking the equity and making more efficient use of the housing stock. It outlines that although older households are sitting on a large amount...

Older Owners: Research on the lives, aspirations and housing outcomes of older homeowners in the UK

This accompanying report by Strategic Society Centre, supported by Hanover Housing, describes the results of quantitative research into older homeowners in the UK. Using data drawn from the 2011 Census...

Open Plan - Building a strategic policy toward older owners

This paper from the Strategic Society Centre, supported by Hanover Housing, explores implications of their research (see next item) and what it means for the different policy agendas around older homeowners:...

Ageing: The Silver Lining - a report on the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population for local government

A report by the LGA Task and Finish Group on Ageing that sets out the increasing contribution to society and the economy older people can make through empowered local government and challenges the commonly-held...

Are Housing Associations ready for an Ageing Population?

This report by The Smith Institute and commissioned by Genesis Housing Association considers whether housing associations are ready for the challenges presented by our ageing population. It addresses...

The Bigger Picture: Understanding disability and care in England's older population

New research from Independent Age and the Strategic Society Centre reveals that over 2 million pensioners struggle with the most basic day-to-day tasks. Meanwhile, 70,000 of the most disabled pensioners...

Park Home Living - a good housing option for later life?

This Housing LIN Viewpoint no 67 explores the appeal that park homes have for many people as they get older. Satisfied older buyers say a Park Home is a good way to downsize and they get more for their...

Retirement Housing 2014 - Residential Research report

The population in the UK is ageing, fast. New research by Knight Frank suggests millions of older people across the UK would consider moving into some sort of retirement housing, but at present, developments...

Housing in Later Life

This report from Age UK puts forward a raft of recommendations to the Government, local authorities and the building industry on housing in later life. They include: All new mainstream and specialised...

What's in a name? Similarities and differences in international terms and meanings for older peoples' housing with services

The diversity of terms and meanings relating to housing with services for older people confounds systematic analysis, especially in international comparative research. This paper, published in the journal...

Safe, warm, decent housing for older people - why it really matters

Following the government's response to Lord Filkin's 'Ready for Ageing?' report, the national network of Older People's Housing Champions has been developing a manifesto to take to the political parties...