SUMMER 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 41
HOUSING
GPSJ
The ageing population crisis:
Why housing reform cannot wait
Professor Glenda Cook,
Director of the Better Living
in Later Life Research Group
at Northumbria University
and spokesperson for Stiltz
Homelifts, issues a stark
warning:
“Ignoring the housing needs of
our ageing population is no longer
an option. Change is not only
overdue—it is critical.”
Britain faces a demographic
time bomb that demands
immediate and sustained action.
Around 13 million citizens—nearly
one in 昀椀ve—are aged 65 and over.
By 2050, this proportion will rise
to one in four. Yet despite the
scale of this demographic shift,
our housing stock and community
infrastructure remain dangerously
ill-equipped to support an ageing
society.
At present, hundreds of
thousands of older adults face
an unacceptable choice: remain
in homes that no longer meet
their needs or leave behind
familiar surroundings for specialist
accommodation. Already, 440,000
individuals have moved into care
homes—many reluctantly—raising
a fundamental question: Is this
truly the best solution Britain can
o昀昀er?
The Health Secretary, the
Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP,
has recognised this challenge,
pledging to strengthen
community-based care to
reduce reliance on hospitals and
residential homes. However,
achieving this vision requires
more than funding promises;
it necessitates a fundamental
rethinking of how government,
families, and communities support
older people’s right to age in
place.
The urgency is stark: only 9%
of UK homes meet the most
basic accessibility standards.
Features such as level thresholds,
wider doorways, and accessible
bathrooms, which can signi昀椀cantly
prolong independent living, remain
rare. Under current planning
regulations, these features are not
mandatory for new builds. Without
decisive policy intervention, this
shortfall will only deepen.
Why does this matter? For older
citizens, a home is not merely a
physical structure—it is an anchor
of identity, mental well-being, and
community connection. Research
shows that over 40% of Britons
see their home as central to their
mental health, while 60% state
they would feel ‘devastated’
if forced to relocate. Losing a
familiar home often results in
severing social ties, with evidence
suggesting such disruption can
accelerate cognitive decline and
physical deterioration and drive up
both NHS and social care costs.
The good news is that solutions
are available and a昀昀ordable
if implemented proactively.
Future-proo昀椀ng homes—through
adaptations such as accessible
bathrooms, level access, and
modern home lifts—can be
signi昀椀cantly less costly than
prolonged residential care.
However, awareness of these
options remains low, and 昀椀nancial
support through the Disabled
Facilities Grant (DFG) is insu昀케cient
and overly restrictive. Renters, in
particular, face serious barriers,
often unable to secure necessary
adaptations.
To address this, urgent
reforms are needed. The
government must expand
eligibility and signi昀椀cantly increase
funding for grants that support
home adaptations, ensuring
interventions are proactive
rather than crisis-driven. New
housing developments should
be mandated to incorporate
age-friendly design features as
a standard requirement, aligning
with the government’s pledge to
deliver 1.5 million new homes. It
is also essential to support private
sector innovation and raise public
awareness about the availability
and bene昀椀ts of adaptation
technologies that can extend
independent living.
In parallel, e昀昀orts must
strengthen community
infrastructure, ensuring that older
citizens remain socially connected
and actively engaged within their
local communities.
This is not merely a matter of
individual well-being but a national
economic imperative. Keeping
older people healthy, independent,
and connected reduces demands
on health and social care services
and strengthens community
resilience.
Britain cannot a昀昀ord
complacency. Ageing in place
must be recognised as a societal
priority, integral to public health
strategy, housing policy, and
community planning. Delivering
dignity, independence, and
respect for older citizens is not
just a moral obligation—it is a
necessity for a sustainable future.
The clock is ticking.
Policymakers must act decisively
to ensure that Britain is a country
where people can age with
con昀椀dence, security, and pride in
their communities.
Professor Glenda Cook
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL SUMMER 2025
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