Government Urged to Regenerate the UK’s Sheltered Housing Stock

A new report, launched yesterday at the House of Lords, from the All-Party Parliament Group (APPG) on Housing and Care for Older People, co-chaired by Lord Best, calls for urgent upgrades to the estimated 527,000 sheltered housing properties in the UK.

Researched and written by the Housing LIN, and funded by Abbeyfield, Abbeyfield South Downs Ltd, Abbeyfield The Dales Ltd, and Abbeyfield Wessex Society LTD, the report highlights the need for modern, accessible homes for older residents. It showcases successful regeneration projects and urges investment in refurbishments, emphasising the health benefits. 

Co-Chair of APPG on Housing and Care for Older People, Lord Best said:

“Sadly, a lot of the sheltered housing of the 1960’s and 1970’s is now past its sell-by date and ready for a serious upgrade. Bed-sits – let alone shared bathrooms – are no longer acceptable. If this accommodation becomes hard-to-let or is sold off, the nation will lose a precious asset that will be hugely expensive to replace.

So now is the time for a significant programme of imaginative regeneration of outdated sheltered housing that can provide much-needed affordable, accessible, sociable homes fit for our ageing population for decades to come.”

Jeremy Porteus, CEO of the Housing LIN said:

“We are immensely proud of the Housing LIN's role as Secretariat to this important APPG Inquiry. It has shown that sheltered housing still provides a safe and secure home for tens of thousands of older households in the UK.

From council and housing association stock to almshouse charities and Abbeyfields, it is also the single largest designated accommodation type available for older people.

However, we have discovered that the sector is encountering significant operational challenges in maintaining this valuable asset. Much of the housing stock is in need of improvement, and there are increasing cost pressures on services.

But with technology advances, modern construction materials and methods, as well as older people’s housing preferences changing too, we believe the timing is right to generate a contemporary sheltered housing offer that takes the ‘sheltered’ out of ‘sheltered housing’ and provides an attractive housing choice in later life for future generations instead.”

Paul Tennant, Chief Executive of Abbeyfield Living Society, who sponsored the Inquiry, said:

“At Abbeyfield, we understand the importance of high-quality housing to the lives of older people, and the role for providers such as ourselves to help ensure that an increasingly ageing population is catered for. We also have experience first-hand of the challenges facing those owning and operating homes that require significant investment to meet future needs and standards.

This report highlights the vital contribution that existing sheltered housing is making in communities for older people. It also underlines that for many providers, particularly smaller ones facing multiple financial pressures, these assets are under threat. There is an urgent need for a clear plan for the future which includes access to funding and investment opportunities geared towards the refurbishment, upgrading and maintenance of existing housing stock as a viable alternative to simply building new developments.

The recommendations set out clear and effective ways in which the government and providers can address these challenges and protect this precious asset for future generations”.