APPG Inquiry into the regeneration of outdated 'sheltered' housing presents in the House of Lords
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People has been organising an inquiry, chaired by Lord Best, on the regeneration of outdated “sheltered housing” sponsored by The Abbeyfield Society.
Housing LIN's Consultancy and Partnerships Manager, Lois Beech, and Business Director Ian Copeman, alongside other Inquiry members, presented the preliminary findings and recommendations, at a meeting – to immediately follow our APPG’s AGM – on Wednesday 6 March in the House of Lords.
This was an opportunity for the Inquiry members, including Housing LIN's CEO, Jeremy Porteus, to get feedback from interested practitioners and policymakers. The input from those who attended the event will help the Inquiry shape its final report which is due to be launched in early June.
In the meantine, here are 5 key takeaways:
- Capital funding needed for regeneration (refurb and new build)
- Marketing and rebranding of 'sheltered' required
- Need to address issues delaying resales as it's making the product unattractive - potentially through buy back schemes as the norm?
- A Charter for disposals to prevent depleting stock where disposal is required
- 'Sheltered' housing to focus on lifestage not 'age'
The presentation slides are available below and you can also watch a recording of the session:
Read Lois Beech's blog on Sheltered housing for the 21st Century.
You may also be interested in this Housing LIN Summit session on Inclusive Spaces: Retrofitting to Adapt our Homes for 21st Century Standards, in which Lord Best shared some of the emerging findings from the Inquiry. The recording, slides and chat report from this session are now available here.