Older people's housing: choice, quality of life and under-occupation

Published by the JRF, these findings from a study by the New Policy Institute which looked where the 7.3 million older households live in England, patterns of under-occupation, and the housing choices on offer should older people decide to move.

Over three-quarter of older households are owner-occupiers, and at least in theory, the majority will have a choice about moving or not, and if so, where. As the study argues, staying put can be the right choice just as well as moving. However, the current offer of general and specialist housing for those who do decide to move is limited in volume, tenure options and design. So why is there not a wider choice of housing for older people, both mainstream and specialist?