National Planning Policy Framework, 2026

The government’s next version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published on 17 August 2026. While it doesn’t make reference to the recommendations on planning made in the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report, it refers to new plans for meeting a housing mix to meets its 1.5m growth plans, including housing for older people and making a requirement for at least 40% of homes to be accessible on bigger developments.

With regard to housing for older people, there is no dedicated "ageing chapter", but ageing considerations are threaded through housing need, accessibility, design, transport and healthy communities. Of particular interest to Housing LIN members will be at Policy HO1, under ‘Assessing the need for homes’, the NPPF calls for a clear requirement to plan for older people’s housing, including specialist forms of accommodation.  Local plans "must assess and plan for the housing needs of … older people (including those who require retirement housing, housing-with-care and care homes)."

This means local authorities are expected to understand demand not only for general needs housing, but also for:

• Retirement housing
• Extra care / housing with care
• Care homes
• Accessible and adaptable housing.

Following the publication of the Housing LIN/Ipsos report, the Housing LIN consultancy team are advising many councils on the demand and housing preferences of older people at a locality level.

And in relation to stronger support for specialist older people's housing, Policy HO5 requires plans to identify sites for "Specialist housing for older people". In addition, policy HO9 states that specialist housing for older or disabled people should:

• Be located close to frequently used services
• Enable walking, wheeling and public transport access
• Be delivered to M4(2) or M4(3) building regulations – see more below.

While there is no explicit reference to the HAPPI design principles, the above is particularly helpful for:

• Extra care schemes
• Retirement communities
• Integrated housing, health and care models
• and supports the kind of place-based approaches recommended when creating age-friendly communities

Under ‘Key principles for well-designed places’ there are several recommendations that are relevant to age-friendly neighbourhoods. DP3 states:

"New development should create public spaces that are:… safe, secure, inclusive, and accessible for all ages and abilities."

Here, the Housing LIN/ARUP quick guides for the Centre for Ageing Better can come in useful in relation to age-friendly places.

And lastly, in relation to accessible design standards – especially regarding affordable housing, and not just specialist forms of accommodation - Policy HO5 states:

"…setting out the proportion of housing on major developments to be delivered to requirements M4(2) and M4(3) of the Building Regulations. Requirements should meet or exceed local levels of need, and should ensure that no less than 40% of homes on major developments are delivered to M4(2) standards (subject to any appropriate exemptions set out in the development plan). "