There’s a growing problem in the UK: its population is aging, and authorities are struggling to keep up.
By 2028, the 65+ population in England is due to increase by 9.9% (1.3 million people). The need for suitable seniors’ housing is becoming increasingly urgent, but in the past two years, progression has largely stalled. Planning remains one of the largest barriers to growth of the seniors housing sector.
Read our report to get the full picture.
Despite this lull, several legislative developments – such as the Older Person’s Housing taskforce and the Levelling-Up & Regeneration Act – finally seem to suggest greater urgency toward supporting the industry.
Working with property experts Knight Frank, our report analyses and grades plans for all local authorities in England based on their approach to housing for seniors. Our findings include:
- Between 2017 and 2022, there was a 13.5% increase in English local authorities that had both adopted planning policies and allocated sites for seniors housing. Between 2022 and 2024, the figure has remained static.
- Presently, just 23% of 326 English local authorities had clear policies and specific site allocations for seniors housing.
- 31.9% of English local authorities had no site allocations or clear policies for seniors housing.
- Between 2022 and November 2023, approximately 64 local planning authorities had delayed or withdrawn their local plans.
Which locations have the most potential for seniors housing?
It’s been a challenging period for the industry, with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities starting to intervene in local plans to ensure they’re progressed.
However, a number of new entrants have made their way into the top fifteen of our seniors housing opportunity rankings:
- Wandsworth and Elmbridge are now third and fourth in the private rankings.
- Other new entrants to this ranking include Mole Valley (11th), Chichester (13th) and Brentwood (14th).
- The number of London boroughs appearing in the top fifteen in the private opportunity area rankings continues to increase, from two in 2020 to seven in 2024.
Discover the opportunities in our report.
Key Contacts
Nicola Gooch
Partner & Planning specialist
Irwin Mitchell
nicola.gooch@irwinmitchell.com
+44 (0)7747 773 258
Oliver Knight
Partner & Head of Residential
Development Research – Knight Frank
oliver.knight@knightfrank.com
+44 (0)7468 727 562
