Housing for older and disadvantaged people

Many older, vulnerable or disadvantaged people experience crises that affect their health or wellbeing. They need housing support to help them lead full and active lives. A home should help people be independent and give them the security to be active members of their communities.

Background

The UK population is ageing and the numbers at the oldest ages will increase the fastest. In 2008 there were 1.3 million people in the UK aged 85 and over; this number is projected to more than double over twenty-five years to 3.3 million by 2033.

An ageing society is one of the great challenges we face in housing. As we get older, our housing needs change. We may need support to be able to continue to live in our own homes, or we may want to move into housing, more suited to our needs.

As well as providing support for older people today, there is also the challenge of making sure that the right type of housing and support is available for future generations of older people.

It is not only older people who might need support to live independently. Communities and Local Government plays a critical role in funding housing related support to a wide range of groups including people who have been homeless. The aim is to help people live independently, and prevent crises occurring that necessitate more intensive intervention. This support helps avoid additional costs to health, care, probation and homelessness services.

What we are doing

Supporting People

The Supporting People programme began on 1 April 2003, bringing together seven housing-related funding streams from across central government. It is a decentralised programme administered through 152 top-tier authorities (via Area Based Grant) who have complete discretion over where to direct their funds to best meet local needs. Services are largely delivered by the voluntary and community sector, and housing associations.

Supporting People helps around one million people at any one time, including approximately:

815,000 older people with support needs
39,000 single homeless people
36,000 people with mental health problems
10,000 women at risk of domestic violence

Housing for older people

We are committed to helping elderly people live at home for longer through solutions such as home adaptations and community support programmes. Work towards this includes:

Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) (external link)
The HAPPI panel reported on its findings in December 2009
Lifetime Neighbourhoods
We have commissioned a report for local authorities on how to make Lifetime Neighbourhoods a reality
Home Improvement Agencies
Agencies that help homeowners and private sector tenants, advising on improvements and adaptations that their clients may need in their homes, helping to apply for grants or loans and helping identify reputable local contractors to do the work. Communities and Local Government sponsors Foundations (external link), the national body for Home Improvement Agencies
Handypersons
Handypersons do odd jobs, home and fire safety, energy checks, fall prevention checks, and signpost clients to other services. Since 2008, Communities and Local Government has provided funding to expand handypersons services nationwide, and for 19 projects to test innovative housing related support services
The Handypersons benefits toolkit (available to download below from 'Related publications')
Helps Local Authorities to estimate the financial benefits and value for money of these services and demonstrates savings to commissioning partners
FirstStop (external link)
This is a free, independent national information and advice service for older people, their family and carers funded by Communities and Local Government. It provides joined-up advice across a range of housing, care and finance rights and issues. We are also investing in the development of local FirstStop partnerships to offer more intensive local support and advocacy services for older people. Telephone: 0800 377 7070 e-mail: info@firststopcareadvice.org.uk.