The Retirement Housing Group of the Home Builders Federation is hosting a significant conference in Leeds on 4 October which focuses attention on how we can meet the housing and social care needs of an ageing population. It brings together planning, housing and social care professionals to hear the latest research findings and develop solutions. The challenges are great. By 2013, a third of households will be headed by someone aged over 65 and 75% of older people will be owner-occupiers. Over the last two year we have only built about 500 new homes for older people and with only 100,000 private properties in the UK classified as retirement, sheltered or extra care housing, demand looks set to rise. It is the everyday tasks of climbing stairs, looking after a house and garden, cleaning and cooking that pose the greatest challenges for many older people. Providing good housing for older people has a huge impact on their ability to live independently, on informal care and on providing nursing care in later life. All of these issues have significant cost implications for the public purse. A more effective planning policy framework for that recognises older people’s needs will be essential for delivering homes for older people in the future. The publication of a National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society “Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods” in 2008, recognised the role of the private sector and the importance of providing homes for older owner occupiers, as well as social tenants recognising that there should be “a new emphasis on the role of planning in addressing the housing needs of older people”. Roger Tilley, Chief Planning Advisor to Retirement Housing Group, said “A presumption in favour of suitable, sustainable housing for older people would be of great assistance in delivering the homes many older people need as they become more frail. RHG believes that local authorities should be able to identify sites in key locations specifically for housing older people. This recommendation fits well with the new localism agenda, is highly sustainable and should form an important part of the emerging planning guidance from CLG. “HAPPI – Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation”, published in December 2009, said “The time has come for a national effort to build the homes that will meet our needs and aspirations as we all grow older” and “we should all plan ahead positively, creating demand for better choice through a greater range of housing opportunities”. For media enquiries, or to arrange an interview, please contact Steve Turner on 020 7960 1606 / 07919 307 760 or steve.turner@hbf.co.uk Notes to Editors: The conference, which is chaired by Joan Bakewell, is being organised by Goldsborough Estates Ltd, a member of the Bupa Group on behalf of the Retirement Housing Group and the Housing LIN. Findings from the day will feed into a submission to the Dilnot Enquiry on the funding of care. (Please click here for a full brochure.) RHG has recently published a Position Paper (please click here to view) which proposes that: Local authority planning policies should recognise the changing nature of local communities and Seek to encourage the provision of a range of attractive housing options that encourage owner occupiers to move. As part of this process specified sites in “amenity rich” town centre locations could be earmarked for development to meet the needs of older person households. This should include sites in the local authority's ownership. The Retirement Housing Group of the Home Builders Federation consists of retirement housing developers and housing managers, both RSL and private sector. Its ex officio members include the charity, the Elderly Accommodation Counsel and the Advice and Mediation Service (AIMS) of Age UK is also represented. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the representative body of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
