Guidance on housing for older and disabled people

The need to provide housing for older people is critical. People are living longer lives and the proportion of older people in the population is increasing.

In mid-2016 there were 1.6 million people aged 85 and over; by mid-2041 this is projected to double to 3.2 million. Offering older people a better choice of accommodation to suit their changing needs can help them live independently for longer, feel more connected to their communities and help reduce costs to the social care and health systems. Therefore, an understanding of how the ageing population affects housing needs is something to be considered from the early stages of plan-making through to decision-taking.

This guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is for local authorities preparing planning policies for housing older people and people with disabilities.