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Better Lives and Older People's Housing

Better Lives and Older People's Housing

Overview

For several decades, policy-makers have differentiated between a population's lifespan (or life expectancy) and its healthspan (meaning the number of years of healthy, active, disease-free life). Across the Western world, increases in lifespan have generally not been matched by increases in healthspan. Having access to the right housing, in the right location and at the right price is part of the formula for healthy ageing.

By enhancing the quality and quantity of older people's housing and offering more choice, not only can we improve the lives of senior citizens, but we can also save money for the NHS by avoiding unnecessary hospital admission from slips, trips and falls. Rightsizing to more age-appropriate housing can also release family homes to help ease the wider housing crisis. It’s also important to think carefully about how we can support those who want to remain in their own homes to do so safely.
Older People’s Housing Taskforce, Final Report, 26 November 2024

This week the ILC has launched The UK Better Lives Index. Based on the premise that living longer, healthier, and more secure lives starts from birth, but that the chances of living well depend on location, earnings, and the amount of support received at different stages of life, the Index attempts to captures these variables. It does so by ranking the 359 local authorities on nine key indicators across the life course:

  1. Life expectancy at birth
  2. Child poverty rate
  3. Pollution
  4. Economic activity rate (16+)
  5. Gross household disposable income
  6. Housing costs
  7. Economic activity rate (50-64)
  8. Life expectancy at 65
  9. Avoidable mortality

The index provides a fascinating insight into the life chances of a child born into any of the UK's districts, and housing costs are just one of the factors. Whilst the index highlights the current inequality across the UK, it also speaks to opportunity if we can grow as a society in a more inclusive way. Of particular interest to those developing and operating homes for later living, is the economically underutilised 50-64-year old group and the role that this type of housing could play in attracting and keeping those in later life who are economically active. The ILC hopes the index will be used to inform policy and practice across the country, on retirement housing and other issues, and is keen to hear from people who would like to join the conversation at benfranklin@ilcuk.org.uk.

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