APPG on Housing and Care for Older People Update

Session Five: APPG on Housing and Care for Older People

Abbeyfield Chief Executive Paul Tennant, Head of Development & Relationships Abdul A. Ravat, Abbeyfield South Downs CEO Nolan Taylor and Abbeyfield The Dales CEO Philip Birkinshaw were delighted to participate in the fifth session of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Care for Older People Inquiry yesterday at the House of Lords.

The Inquiry, sponsored by Abbeyfield with secretariat support provided by Housing LIN, aims to explore the best ways to regenerate our existing stock of outdated sheltered housing to meet the expectations of the 21st century.

The Inquiry has actively sought evidence from those within the sector around sheltered / retirement housing in both the social and private sectors, encompassing various tenures such as social rent, affordable rent, leasehold, sale and shared ownership. The call for evidence concluded last month and the Inquiry report will be launched in June.

Chaired by Lord Best, yesterday marked a pivotal stage of the APPG Inquiry and brought a panel of sector leaders together to discuss the preliminary findings and recommendations that have come out of the Inquiry.

Recently Abbeyfield hosted Lord Best on a visit to one of our sheltered housing schemes in Muswell Hill, London, which is regretfully facing closure due to the significant investment required to make it fit for purpose for current and future residents. 

Lord Best commented that there is a desperate need for action from the government to help providers like ourselves to preserve and protect schemes like Muswell Hill for future generations. If that support is not made available, the picture is bleak. We are simply not building enough new homes to cope with an ageing population, and it is more difficult to secure new supply given the uncertainties around land, planning, funding, procurement, cost of material, lack of tradespeople and revenue uncertainty from cash strapped Local Authorities.

The Abbeyfield Society is proud to act as sponsor for the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People Inquiry on the Regeneration of Outdated Sheltered Housing.

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