Housing LIN Viewpoint 109: Making the case for funding care and extra care housing

This Housing LIN Viewpoint by John Payne, Founder of Matters Grey, urges innovative funding solutions for long-term care amid rising pressures on the adult social care system.

Set in the context of the newly established Casey Commission, which aims to revitalise the adult social care system, it revisits the unfulfilled promises of the Dilnot Commission. With many older people asset-rich but income-poor, the paper highlights the potential of leveraging housing wealth, expanding shared ownership models, and adopting risk-pooling schemes like those trialled by the ExtraCare Charitable Trust and Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

It also advocates for greater investment in extra care housing, reform of subsidy models, and improved service outcomes. Additionally, the Viewpoint proposes exploring inheritance tax as a funding stream to meet care needs without burdening working-age taxpayers.

The central message is clear: while practical solutions exist, from housing-based funding to public-private partnerships, what’s urgently needed is the political courage and leadership to innovate at scale and meet the baby boomer challenge head-on.