Memorandum from Age Concern and Help the
Aged (BDH 30)
MAIN POINTS
1 Poor housing has a particularly detrimental
effect on the health of older people and therefore additional
assistance should be available. There is evidence that excess
winter deaths are linked to cold, badly insulated housing. There
is also a clear relationship between accidents and falls in the
home and problems with basic repairs, lack of adaptations and
poor lighting. Poor housing conditions contribute to a range of
chronic health conditions that reduce life expectancy. Given that
older people are at a greater risk of poor health due to poor
conditions it is important we take targeted action geared towards
this age group.
2 The Government needs to make further progress
to improve conditions in the private sector homes where the majority
of older people live. Despite progress made in the social
rented sector, there needs to be further action to tackle poor
conditions among older homeowners. We are particularly concerned
about households on low incomes who do not have the resources
to maintain their homes in a decent state of repair. We need further
low cost initiatives targeting vulnerable older people who do
not have sufficient equity in their homes to carry out essential
repair work.
3 More attention needs to be given to Right
to Buy generation who now find themselves unable to maintain their
properties. Many people who were encouraged to buy their homes
in the 1980s are now struggling to keep them in a decent state
of repair. Given that successive governments have promoted the
Right to Buy, we think there is a responsibility to take a more
proactive and sympathetic approach to help older homeowners on
low incomes. Some older people, with limited equity in their homes,
may be worse off compared to those living in the social rented
sector, who have benefited from the Decent Homes Initiative.
4 The Government should continue to support
the expansion of Home Improvement Agencies to coordinate the delivery
of improvements to the homes of older households. We warmly
welcome the investment the Government has put into Home Improvement
Agencies (HIAs) and handy person schemes, to enable older people
to tackle basic repairs and carry out adaptations. Although there
is now good geographic coverage, only a small proportion of older
people actually come into contact with these services. There needs
to be greater investment to extend the role of HIAs to support
older people living in unacceptable conditions.
5 We would like the Committee to consider
how services could be better coordinated to offer older people
a more comprehensive service that can tackle issues around energy
efficiency as well as basic repairs and adaptations. Older
people may gain assistance with one aspect of poor housing but
then find it difficult to get help with other elements allowing
them to live safely and comfortably. For example, there are schemes
to install new heating systems which then ignore trip hazards,
fire safety, faulty wiring and inadequate lighting. There needs
to be a more joined up approach with Home Improvement Agencies
taking the lead in the coordination of related initiatives.
6 We believe Decent Homes Standards need
to evolve to encompass basic accessibility standards that can
help older people to live independently for longer in their own
homes. There is a strong economic argument for investing in
basic home improvements. For example the installation of a downstairs
shower which promotes health and dignity. Such basic standards
help older people avoid having to move into specialist housing
against their wishes or making greater demands on health and care
services as a result of unhealthy, inaccessible conditions.
7 We would like to see to see a restoration
of budget allocations to private sector renewal. In recent
years there have been significant cuts to private sector renewal
as the result of pressure on local authorities to meet new build
targets. We need to ensure an appropriate balance between investment
in the existing stock and the delivery of new homes. As part of
this we would like to see the reinstatement of the PSA target
for Decent Homes Standards (DHS). Lack of guidance and protection
for budget allocations will result in authorities giving less
priority to key services, such as Home Improvement Agencies.
8 Insufficient attention has been given
to poor conditions in the private rented sector, and the impact
on older tenants. More could be done to target this sector
to ensure that older private tenants have access to adaptation
grants (Disabled Facilities Grant) and repair services, available
to other sectors. Some of these services are part funded under
Supporting People (SP), which is meant to be tenure neutral, yet
private tenants have not had significant contact with these services.
HIAs could be deployed to work with both landlords and tenants
to secure improvements to private lettings. Older tenants who
seek to address poor conditions need greater protection from the
threat of eviction. We hope that improvements can be made as a
result of the recommendations contained in the Rugg Review.
9 Basic standards for adaptations need
to be included within the Decent Homes Standards (DHS) to ensure
we are offering suitable housing to an ageing population. In
a previous Committee report, it was noted that the Government
had missed the opportunity to include basic adaptations within
DHS. We would like the Committee to reconsider the original recommendations
on accessibility and propose steps towards implementation.
10 We would like to see further investment
in Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs) and handy person services
linked to better coordination of fuel efficiency measures, as
part of an overall review of how repairs and adaptations are delivered
to older homeowners. In spite of the recession a national
initiative led by HIAs could help to stimulate the economy by
creating employment and improving our housing stock over the longer
term. For example, a target to provide home insulation for all
older people would create jobs, alleviate fuel poverty and reduce
energy consumption. Local schemes already exist, but a national
approach is required.
11 The range and scope of help provided
under the Warm Front programme should be expanded. Although
Warm Front has benefited many older people it needs to be part
of a wider ranging programme designed to tackle poor housing at
a local level. If older people come into contact with a particular
improvement scheme this should automatically be considered an
opportunity to assess and review the range of assistance available
to support independent living in a healthy home environment.
12 Free or low cost help with basic repairs
and adaptation should be offered to many more older people. Current
economic circumstances make it increasingly difficult to offer
equity release packages that allow older people to address repairs
and adaptations using their own resources. In addition, many older
people in the private sector are reluctant to seek help if it
involves intrusive financial assessments with an agency they do
not trust. Many basic repairs are actually very low cost. If they
were offered to older people free or at a low charge, by trusted
agencies, it would encourage greater numbers of older people to
seek help. They might then be prepared to ask for further assistance
for more extensive or comprehensive work—and be more willing
to explore the financial options available to them. We want it
to be easier for older people to obtain an interest free loan
for basic work. Although local schemes exist we need a national
approach. The majority of essential improvements cost less than
£5,000. In the long term modest expenditure could result
in significant savings by promoting independent and reducing demands
on the NHS.
September 2009
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