Understanding older people’s housing wants and needs and barriers to satisfying them Doug McNab, AECOM HSA conference April 2015

Structure of presentation 1. Research context 2. Key questions 3. Research approach 4. Key findings 5. Conclusions 6. Q&A

Context of study ‘‘We need more designated specialised housing for older people and disabled adults. The level of provision is not keeping pace with our ageing population” Government response to Filkin report 2013  Research commissioned by DCLG Housing Minister  Parallel work by Demos to develop policy options

Key questions  What types of specialist / adapted housing do older people want and need and what are the barriers to securing these?  What is the nature and extent of the gap between supply of and demand for different specialist/ adapted housing types wanted by older people, both now and projected for the next 20 years?  What is the reason for the under supply of specific specialist/ adapted housing types wanted and needed by older people?

Research approach Rapid Evidence Assessment Assess robustness of research studies Focus on evidence of demand, supply, gap, reasons for under supply. Qualitative research National level 2 expert focus groups Expert interviews 3 Study Areas Older people focus groups Local stakeholder interviews Quantitative research Market assessment – current housing circumstances of older people Model of future demand set against supply Policy options development

Findings – what housing is wanted/needed by older people?  Diverse preferences and needs amongst growing population of older people  The majority of people will continue to live in mainstream housing  Wellbeing preferences  Health and wellbeing – public purse savings and individual wellbeing benefits  Bungalows!

Case study: North Somerset park homes North Somerset has around 1,000 park homes across 20 sites. They are mostly bought by people who move to the seaside on retirement - an estimated 70% of residents are aged over 60. Park homes were designed to be holiday homes, yet some are lived in full-time. Stakeholders said they can be difficult to deliver care or adaptations to, and often fall into disrepair.

Case study: Newcastle: ‘People are not going to move across the city’ LA stakeholders commented on the distinct local communities that exist in the city, and felt that people can be very reluctant to move away from the area that they know - particularly in some of the older industrial communities alongside the river Tyne, and also in some BME communities where there can be cultural ties to an area.

Case study: Barnet: Co-housing for older women Project seeks to provide a community of mixed home ownership and social rented housing for older women. The Older Women’s Co-housing group is working with a small housing association, Housing for Women, and Hanover Housing Association to develop 25 flats on a site close to local shops and transport links.

‘a crisis is the wrong time to make decisions that can have such an impact on your life’ Planning ahead for housing needs Good transport, shops nearby, doctors, social network…. “If you move somewhere else you might not have that’’ ‘I sometimes wish I hadn’t moved because the services are no longer there. I’ll need to move again.’ ‘safety’

What are the barriers to securing housing for older people?  Lack of specialist information and advice on housing and financing options  Poor awareness of specialist housing options amongst older people makes it difficult to realistically assess the level of demand for different types of housing  Lack of “feasible and attractive alternatives”  Affordability

What limits supply of specialist housing?  Poor consumer demand to drive supply  Lack of pro-active planning  Competition for suitable sites  Higher costs of provision with significant communal space and services  Need for stronger business case for developing housing with on site care  Issues regarding Use Class  Risk  Public sector funding constraints/uncertainties

Constrained demand Limited choice of feasible specialist housing options Poor awareness of newer options that are available Limited customer demand to generate delivery of increased supply of attractive, realistic choices.

What limits access to adaptations?  Need for impartial, independent advice  Need for shift from provision on release from hospital to preventative investment to maximise cost-effectiveness and impact on quality of life Inadequate funding relative to need Complex/ disjointed process Poor user awareness of DFG or suitable options Limited offer / provided too late to maximise effectiveness

Conclusions  The market is not delivering the specialist housing that older people want and need – can it do more?  Additional government intervention may be required, especially given the growing older population  There is a need to create a cultural change from crisis moves to planning for later life, both to achieve quality of life benefits for individuals and to generate healthcare savings.

Research delivered by  URS/AECOM Team, led by Doug McNab and Nicky Hodges  Philip Leather, PSL Research Ltd  Sheila Mackintosh, Mackintosh O’Connor Associates  Dr Tim Brown, Centre for Comparative Research at DeMontfort University

Any Questions? Doug McNab