Using the work of The Older People’s Housing Taskforce

By Nick Sedgwick · 28 November 2024

ARK welcomes the publication by MHCLG of The Older People’s Housing Taskforce report. The report is long, but there are several themes that should be the basis for action by government, local authorities and housing providers.

However, I want to highlight the report on “What older people want” published alongside the main report. This study by Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield has the subtitle “a rapid evidence assessment on what older people want, and can afford, when it comes to their housing choices when looking to move”. The report provides a wealth of evidence housing and service providers can use when thinking about their offer to older people.

Key Points

The report runs to 73 pages so there is very much to go at. However, there are some points that stand out to me for a starter:

• People want to stay in their own home providing it meets a range of priorities;
• These priorities include maintaining independence and wellbeing in the home, control and choice, safety, a sense of community and belonging, social networks and interactions;
• People want good access to amenities, leisure facilities and green space;
• People who are currently owner occupiers want to continue to own their own home leading to an overall clear preference for ownership;
• Space and spare bedrooms are important;
• Safety and a sense of community are also important;
• On-site care ad support will attract some; and
• There is poor awareness of the specialist housing available and there is limited evidence of good practice in how to support older people to review their housing options.

Recurring themes

It is notable that many of these points are also highlighted in the work by the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People in the original HAPPI report in 2009 and the report on the Regeneration of Outdated Sheltered Housing published earlier this year. The combination of these reports builds a strong body of evidence.

Give residents a voice

At ARK we have completed strategic reviews of housing for older people for many landlords. Our reviews bring together evidence from many sources but we always advocate a strong voice for local residents in setting the standards and priorities for homes and services. A combination of surveys and focus groups will usually give valuable insight. The feedback is often similar to the points highlighted in the ‘What people want’ report but there are always local variations and nuances. There is nothing more powerful when driving change than clearly articulating local residents’ priorities.

To find out more about ARK’s approach to the strategic review of supported housing and housing for older people please visit our website service section: Older People’s & Supported Housing, or contact us today.

Nick Sedgwick is a committed and enthusiastic housing professional with a breadth of experience across local authorities, housing associations and non-departmental public bodies. Housing management, homelessness and care & support are core to his career.