More than a third of local authorities lack a blueprint for housing older people, research by the National Housing Federation has indicated. The NHF survey of 153 local authorities found 33 per cent had no strategy specifically for older people’s housing. Almost a quarter, 23 per cent, described their strategy as ‘under development’. Consultancy HGO estimated last year that around 70,000 people aged 60 or over were in urgent need of housing with support services. This figure will quadruple to at least 300,000 by 2019, HGO predicted. Almost all authorities polled by the NHF that had developed an older people’s housing strategy reported they knew the number of older people in their area and had growth projections for this population group.
Amy Swan, policy officer at the NHF, said the country was not building anywhere near enough homes for older people. ‘What currently looks like a problem could quickly develop into a full-blown crisis unless we start addressing the needs of our ageing population,’ she added.
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