Far too many older people in the UK live in cold, damp, run-down and inaccessible homes. This is undoubtedly having a huge adverse impact on their health and wellbeing – and on the NHS and social care systems too.
The evidence shows that approximately 2 million older households are living in what are deemed “non-decent” homes, with poor housing costing the NHS a staggering £1.4bn every year. This helps to explain why housing is a key priority for Age UK and why we are determined to see things improve.
There is an urgent need for more older people’s housing that actively promotes independence and wellbeing, rather than undermining them as so often happens at the moment. We need places to live that allow more of us to receive the care and support we need. This would reduce the pressure on both the NHS and social care and improve the quality of life of older people.
The bottom of the private rented sector is currently an important focus for us because we know that is where older people on low incomes often experience grossly inadequate accommodation. About 250,000 older renters are currently living in non-decent housing.
But there is hope – if enacted, the government’s commitment to ending “no-fault” eviction should help to tackle poor, damp and cold housing in the private rented sector by encouraging older tenants and those supporting them to take action without fear of being thrown out. It also means that more older and disabled people should be able to get adaptations, which are currently restricted due to the unpredictable length of assured short-hold tenancies. And finally it should help to tackle older homelessness.
Arguably the bottom of the private rented sector isn’t an appropriate tenure for vulnerable older people. Significant investment is needed to increase the supply of truly affordable social housing, including supported housing. But it’s no good building new homes if they fail to meet our basic requirements as we age. A better approach is needed to ensure that new homes meet a high accessibility standard and reduce future adaptation costs. By ensuring that all new houses meet the Lifetime Home Standard, we could make independent living at home a reality for many more older people.
The vast majority of older people will continue to live in mainstream housing, but more retirement housing options are clearly required – particularly more housing with care which allows older people who need care to receive it in line with their changing needs, while living independently within a supportive community.
Although we are now seeing improvements in the quality and regulation of private retirement housing for those able to afford it, it is crucial that we do not forget the social rented sector. We need to reverse the decline in sheltered housing triggered by removal of wardens/scheme managers and cuts to housing support staff. Mainstream retirement housing can play an important preventative role by offering low-level support that helps older people to live in their own homes for longer.
The older population is big, growing and increasingly diverse and different housing options work for older people – at different stages in their lives. The key is to ensure that all forms of housing for older people offer decent, affordable and secure accommodation, in age-friendly neighbourhoods that foster good health and wellbeing.
Caroline Abrahams is charity director at Age UK
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