Over a third (36%) of local authorities do not have clear policies in place to support housing for seniors, according to new research from Knight Frank and Irwin Mitchell. The significant shortcoming in the level of planning for seniors housing is particularly worrying given the UK’s ageing population; it is forecast that one in four people will be over 65 by 2037.

The new survey builds on research carried out in 2017 and 2020, which ranked local authorities between ‘A’ and ‘D’ according to their approach to seniors housing provision within their local plans.

Local authorities with an ‘A’ rating have clear policies indicating details of the required number of dwellings/care home beds and how this will be achieved together with specific site allocations for such development, whereas those with a D rating had neither clear policies nor site allocation.

This year’s survey results found that out of 326 local authorities in England 76 (23.3%) were graded A, 96 (29.4%) were graded B, 36 (11.0%) were graded C and a 118 (36.2%) were graded D.

Over the five years in which this research has been carried out, the percentage of grade A local authorities in England that have adopted specific planning policies and site allocations addressing seniors housing has improved significantly – increasing from 9.7% in 2017 to 23.3% and the percentage of local authorities graded a D has also reduced – from 62% to 36.2%.

The sector is also getting much-needed support from central government, with a recently announced a cross-departmental task force on housing for older people championing the need for sector-specific legislation, clarity in the planning system, and funding for affordable housing. The National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Policy Guidance now also acknowledge the importance of seniors housing.