Challenges ahead – overview of older people’s housing policy Joe Oldman, Policy Adviser, Age UK

1. Challenges ahead – overview of older people’s housing policy JoeOldman, Policy Adviser, Age UK 16th May 2013

2. Some key indicators Currently 9.3 million households are headed by a person over retirement age. By 2033, this is projected to increase to 13 million. Nearly a third of all homes are already lived in by people over retirement age. Older people will account for nearly half of new household growth by 2026. 26.1% of household aged 60+ are living in non-decent housing. 4.5 million households include someone with a mobility problem (mostly 60+) but only 3.4 per cent of homes have the four essential features that would make them accessible. Around 35,000 households receive Disabled Facilities Grant and 70 % of grant recipients are older disabled people. DCLG estimated that the Disabled Facilities Grant would need to be ten times the annual budget (£169 million) to cover all those theoretically eligible. Older people’s housing is not a marginal issue

3. Overview • What’s the Government’s approach to older people’s housing? • Will housing become more integrated with social care and health and why does this matter? • What are the economic arguments for improvements in older people housing? • How might the current policy debate on older people’s housing influence provision? • Why is retirement housing so important? • Why is it vital to engage with older residents?

4. What is the Government’s approach to older people’s housing? Lifetime homes, lifetime neighbourhoods – a turning point? • Not a marginal issue. • Age friendly housing and services that work for all generations. • Balance between mainstream and specialist housing. • Housing within an accessible environment. Laying the Foundations – agreement on key elements? • Funding for housing and care advice – allocation of £32.5 million to develop online information and additional funding for First Stop • Support for handy person services – and the Home Improvement Agency model. • Additional money for Disabled Facilities Grant (£40m). • DH funding for reablement from hospital project. • Support for planning toolkit for retirement housing. • Funding for specialised housing (£300m). • Backing for Housing Our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI). Although we’ve been travelling in the right direction we are still not investing enough in preventative services and spending reductions are closing services.

5. Will housing become more integrated with social care and health and why does this matter? Care and Support Bill – joint committee report • Key role of housing advice. • Definition of ‘well-being’ must include housing. • Integration and cooperation  with housing providers. • Housing vital role in hospital discharge. • Safeguarding. • Gap between the rhetoric and reality? • Important reforms on social care contributions. • Recently ADSS have said that cuts to social care will lead to the collapse of services. • Continuing knock on effect for housing related support under Supporting People. • Concern about further cuts under the Comprehensive Spending Review. • Government argue that providers and commissioners need to achieve greater efficiencies – partly though more integrated and coordinated services.

6. What kind of practical measures are being put forward? • Understanding how older people navigate local services and how housing can prevent or reduce social care pressures. • Health and Well Being Boards, housing providers and local authorities – working together to deliver specialist and accessible housing that support independent living to take the pressure off social care. • Ensuring older people requiring care and support are aware of the housing options and local services available. • Combining and coordinating specialist housing, adaptations services, reablement services to allow a swift and seamless response to individual needs – requires communication and coordination • ‘Invest in housing, invest in health’ – practical examples of how housing associations are making a different. • Chartered Institute of Housing ‘Delivering housing, health and care outcomes’

7. What are the economic arguments to improvements in older people housing and related services? • Government figures show that £1.6 bn of housing related support services generated savings of £3.4 bn to the public purse. • Fallsby older people in the UK are estimated to cost £1bn a year, yet a basic adaptations like a grab rail, which greatly reduces the risk of a fall, costs just £30. • It is estimated that specialist housing reduces the costs to other services by £550 per resident each year. • An evaluation of Partnership for Older People’s Projects - every £1 spent on integrated preventative services delivered an average £1.20 additional benefit in savings on emergency bed days. The savings came from a 47% reduction in overnight hospital stays and 29% reduction in the use of accident and emergency departments. • An average scheme of 40 apartments brings investment of around £5 million into older people’s housing and other services. It provides 50 jobs for the duration of construction and employment of 17 full and part time staff in a typical extra care scheme. • Retirement housing makes more family housing available and therefore boosts local housing markets.

8. How might the current policy debate on older people’s housing influence provision? • Housing wealth • Intergenerational Foundation – hoarding housing? • Fabian Society – distribution of housing wealth. • more than 20% of individuals aged 50 or older in England, have no housing wealth at all. • Also 67% (1.1 m people) of older people living in poverty are owner occupiers. • Implications for equity release and taxation policies? • Review of the building standards • Royal Institute of British Architect (RIBA) – improving space and light. • Accessibility standards and general needs housing. • Support from neighbourhood forums. • Key role for local authorities and housing associations. • Implications for independent living and receiving support services at home?

9. Developing better retirement housing • Improving the design features and location of retirement housing – a more flexible approach to planning. • Looking towards retirement housing models in the rest of European – age friendly flats that are attractive to all generations • Ensure there is accessible design and flexibility to allow easier adaptation as people’s needs change – offering different levels of support. • Energy efficient, balconies, plants, trees and natural environment, space for bikes and mobility vehicles, more generous internal space. • Generally offering more space and light • ‘Stacked bungalows’? • Lifetime neighbourhood approach – linking into local services and facilities • Developing more extra care housing.

10. Why is retirement housing important? • Encourages older people to remain active and independent and contribute to the local community and economy. • Reduces the demand on more expensive residential care. • Good retirement housing allows people to live independent and self-sufficient lives for longer. • It addressed the effects of loneliness and isolations and enhances well-being. • It reduces demand on health and social care services and with good planning and design it can offer resources to the wider community. • We need a diversity of different kinds of flexible retirement housing that fits the changing lifestyles and aspirations of existing and future generations of older people. • Stimulates the local housing market for all generations by making more family housing available.

11. The importance of engaging with older residents ‘Making it Work for Us’ • Advice and advocacy – giving a clearer picture of housing options, help navigating the health and social care systems. Maximising income. • Affordability – offering affordable services with the flexibility to opt in or out. Charges that take into account the range of financial pressure on older residents . • Openness and transparency – clarity and consistency about what services deliver and the charges made. • Onsite services – quality time with support workers – important to health, well being and a sense of security. • Support for residents after leaving hospital. • Culture of consultation – not a one off or tokenistic approach – giving residents a sense of control. • Complaints – efficient and responsive complaints procedure – seen as positive benefit – not to be feared ‘Nobody’s Listening’ • Decline in housing support services for older people. • Hub and spoke – ways of maintaining onsite services. • Importance of working with residents to find solutions. • Recognising the changing needs of a community over time.

12. Helping older people to navigate the housing and care options available

13. Joe Oldman (Policy Adviser - Housing) Age UK Tel: 01603 612 513 (W) 07827 827008 (M) Email: joe.oldman@ageuk.org.uk Tavis House, 1- 6 Tavistock Square London, WC1H 9NA www.ageuk.org.uk | ageukblog.org.uk | @AgeUKPA