HLINks Weekly: Housing, Health, and Social Care Latest News
HLINks Weekly: Housing, Health, and Social Care Latest News
17 November 2025
Welcome to the latest edition of the Housing LIN newsletter!
Here, you’ll find a comprehensive roundup of the most important housing and care news, insights, events, and resources from the past seven days.
This week’s top stories include:
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CEO Jeremy Porteus joined Deeley Group's roundtable on Later Living homes in Birmingham.
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Over 100 people attended the Bengali Probin East Enders community drama in East London.
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NHS England published its Strategic Commissioning Framework for Integrated Care Boards.
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Longevity Week highlighted housing’s role in reducing loneliness and supporting wellbeing.
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The 30 Years On HAPPI Hour recording, reflecting on the Disability Discrimination Act.
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Emma Palmer’s (Disability and Housing Ambassador for Housing) new Housing LIN guest blog stresses that accessibility must be central in housing.
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Mark Slater outlines how Dorset Council and WWA are delivering age-friendly Extra Care homes.
Thank you for joining us each week and being part of our learning community.
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The Housing LIN Team |
News Highlights
Driving growth in the Later Living sector
Our CEO, Jeremy Porteus, was pleased to be part of last week’s round-table at The Grand Hotel Birmingham, led by Deeley Group.
Bringing together public bodies, developers, and operators sparked meaningful discussions on planning, design, and delivering more Later Living homes.
Bengali Probin East Enders Drama tells the story of housing, ageing, family and wellbeing in East London
Over a hundred attendees, including older Bangladeshi adults (‘probins’ in Bengali) aged 50 years and over, their families, and local organisations came together at Rich Mix, Bethnal Green, for Bengali Probin East Enders - a project feedback event featuring a wounderful community drama hosted by the Amar Bari Amar Jibon (ABAJ) team: The Open University, Housing LIN, and Bangla Housing Association.
Resource Roundup
NHS England publishes its Integrated Care Board Strategic Commissioning Framework
NHS England has published a Strategic Commissioning Framework, which aims to support all Integrated Care Boards to adopt a strategic commissioning approach from April 2026, including reference to housing and technology.
Longevity Week highlights the role of housing in combating loneliness in later life
Longevity Week, led by The Longevity Forum, addresses older adults’ loneliness, highlighting how housing and care environments impact social connection, wellbeing, and health.
Research, including the DICE project and Almshouse Longevity Study, shows that supportive housing can reduce isolation.
30 Years On: Reflecting on the Disability Discrimination Act and the road ahead
We are pleased to share the recording of last week's HAPPI Hour webinar, marking 30 years since the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
The powerful session brought together campaigners, policymakers, practitioners and people with lived experience to share their reflections on the DDA’s impact – or its shortcomings, calling for improved housing rights for people with disabilities.
Expert Insights
It’s time for housing to treat disability as a core priority, not an afterthought
In this new Housing LIN guest blog, Emma Palmer, the newly appointed Cabinet Office Disability and Housing Ambassador and Chief Executive of Eastlight Community Homes, explores why accessibility must become a core measure of success in housing, not an afterthought.
It is the final blog in a series of Housing LIN guest blogs leading up to the 30th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Blog: Turning Vision into Deliverable Housing Solutions
In this new Housing LIN guest blog, Mark Slater, Managing Director at WWA, explores how Dorset Council, now the 100th UK area recognised as an Age-friendly Community, is advancing its vision for inclusive, high-quality Extra Care Housing.
Working with WWA, the Council created an Extra Care Housing Design Guide to shape practical, deliverable homes that promote independence, connection, and wellbeing.
What else caught our interest...
- Cardiff University project: First of its kind study aims to help more people spend their final days at home
- Habinteg article: Decent Housing? A Privilege – Especially for the Disabled
- Inside Housing (subscribers only): Investing in supported services isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do
- Local Government Association tool: Understanding ageing in your area
- Paul Smith's blog: The housing solution we already have
- Vaere Social (USA) report: Planning for neurodiversity
Dates for your diary
Autumn/Winter HAPPI Hour webinars
We’re now six sessions into our exciting HAPPI Hour webinar series, and there’s so much more to come! Join expert-led discussions on key topics in housing and ageing. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it!
Browse the full programme and register your free place today:
- Homes Built Together: Exploring Community-Led Housing & Cohousing on 18th November 2025, 4pm - 5pm
- Housing LIN Scotland Presents on 25th November 2025, 4pm - 5pm
- What the Housing Strategy means for supported and specialist housing on 2nd December 2025, 4pm - 5pm
- Just added: Using data and AI to transform future housing and care at home on 4th December 2025, 10am - 11am
- Becoming a Dementia-Friendly Organisation – Back to Basics on 9th December 2025, 4pm - 5pm
- Designing for Tomorrow: Future-Proof, Age-Friendly Homes on 16th December 2025, 4pm - 5pm, to coincide with HAPPI Awareness Week 2025.
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