Home truths - Housing options and advice for people in later life: Learning from communities in Leeds

More than 90% of older people live in mainstream housing and intend to stay there. Yet, Britain has the oldest housing stock in Europe. As well as being in poor condition, the vast majority of these homes are inaccessible, with only 7% of homes having all four features that make them accessible to most people.

Decent homes can keep us safe and free from injury and falls, enable us to remain active and independent, and avoid costly health and social care. As we approach later life this can mean that we will need to adapt and repair our current homes or ‘rightsize’ to more suitable housing.

This report summarises findings from work in Leeds and, based on these insights, makes recommendations for what local areas and national government can do to enable people in later life better access to information and advice about housing.