Helping hand for care and support housing

Older people needing care and support will benefit from new and refreshed local housing strategies that promote dignity, respect and choice, Care Services Minister Phil Hope said today.

Speaking at a Laing and Buisson conference, he announced a £3.5 million innovation fund and urged councils to "act now and act decisively" to improve the quality and range of housing options for older people.

Every Council with Adult Social Care responsibility will be awarded approximately £20,000 to develop or update its extra care housing strategy. Councils will be expected to showcase their strategies, promote good practice and exchange ideas on innovative approaches to housing with care on a new on-line web-resource.

Extra Care Housing provides the best housing design features for older people alongside personal care. The Department has invested £227 million in Extra Care housing since 2004. However, there are still approximately 38,000 units of accommodation compared to 10 times that for retirement housing and also residential care.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope, said

'Innovative houses that meet the needs and aspirations of older people are vital to the future of care and support. They are at the heart of the technological change that will define our ageing society, enable more people to live well and live independently in their own home for longer.

I am launching this new fund to help councils develop the next generation of homes Now I want to see councils act now and act decisively to improve the quality and range of housing options for older people.

It is another example of how we're helping more people to live well in their own homes, supporting our Personal Care at Home Bill, which will offer free care for 280,000 people with highest needs and help thousands more who are receiving home help for the first time.'