'More Older People's Housing Could Save Taxpayer £14bn'

The taxpayer could save £14.5bn over 50 years if just one couple among every 50 older homeowners downsizes into specialist retirement housing. That is the finding of a report by older people’s specialist housing association Anchor and Strategic Society Centre. The report, entitled Valuing Retirement Housing, uses a wide range of datasets to provide estimates of savings retirement housing can generate for local and central government. It estimates one extra person moving into specialised retirement housing could save £9,700 over 10 years due to fewer falls, reduced home and residential care. A couple moving into retirement housing could save the taxpayer £54,800 due to freeing up a home for first-time buyers, creating more retirement wealth for them and less reliance on housing benefit. Read more on Inside Housing.