Written evidence submitted by Age Friendly Manchester [HOP 093]
I am a member of the Age-friendly Manchester Design Group and wish to make a representation to the above Inquiry. This is similar to the submission sent separately from Manchester Disabled People’s Access Group, with additional references to “The Future of Ageing in Greater Manchester”, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and New Economy, February 2017 and statistics on disabled people. (4.7, 4.8)
Members of the Design Group have a range of experiences of housing for older people and the intention was that the views of individual members of the Design Group would be submitted to reflect these different experiences. The Design Group agreed that the individual representations would be collated by Patrick Hanfling (the Design Group's co-ordinator) who would then submit them as a package. However, I understand that there have been problems with the City Council's computers and that, as a consequence, Patrick has been unable to meet the Inquiry deadline. Patrick has therefore agreed a time extension with yourselves so that individual Design Group members might submit their representations separately.
The Age-friendly Manchester Design Group has been running since 2012, when it was created as part of the Age-friendly Manchester programme. Our vision is to improve the quality of life and sense of place for older people in Manchester by making the design of the city more age-friendly. This is based around the engagement and participation of older people in all aspects of design in Manchester. This means older people can continue to live in their homes independently and move around their neighbourhood and city with the confidence they can use facilities and services fully.
Please find attached my representation to the Inquiry.
Community and Local Government Committee
Housing for Older People Inquiry
1. Introduction
1.1 MDPAG is an organisation of disabled people, working to
improve access to buildings, the environment, transport, information and services. We work within the social model disability, which identifies the barriers in society, physical, sensory, attitudinal and financial as well as poor access to information and to communication services and technology. We consult on access issues, provide access surveys, audits and training, contribute to consultations and work closely with other organisations in the voluntary sector and with other equality and diversity groups. We cover issues faced by people with physical, sensory and cognitive impairments, people who are neuro-diverse, e.g. people with autism, and people with mental health and long term health issues, as well as many people with multiple impairments.
1.2 We recognised from our experience of working with older people in community groups, in our own group and from enquiries from the public, that many older people have impairments and face barriers but do not identify as disabled people. However, they have the same access requirements, and standards, policies and legislation which apply to disabled people, should also be applied to access for older people. Our experience has been that some older people’s projects do not see the relevance of access standards.
1.3 In Manchester, MDPAG is a member of the Age Friendly Design Group, where we deliver training and share best practice with other members from different professional organisations.
2. Executive Summary
2.1 Adequacy of provision of homes for older people
2.1.1 Many older people are also disabled people, who increasingly find themselves with a range of health issues and impairments, so that existing standards and good practice guidelines for disabled people should also be applied to any designs for planning for older people.
2.1.2 Older people often have to adjust to physical, financial and emotional changes in later life, often leading to isolation and health problems. This makes it important to consider the wishes of older people who wish to stay in their own homes and neighbourhoods and consider the accessibility of neighbourhood facilities.
2.1.3 Many newer and older houses in the private sector are not accessible or adaptable, as developers were not required to build to access standards until the new Part M Building Regulations were approved in 2016. Apartments in city centres are often designed for young professionals or wealthy residents, have poor accessibility and are often not adaptable.
2.1.4 Social housing tenants have limited options for adaptations, improving accessibility or the option of moving within housing trusts.
2.1.5 Older people in rented accommodation face many restrictions on access, insecurity often due to benefit and tax changes, and unavailability of more suitable accommodation. Landlords are often unwilling or unable to upgrade to accessible standards, even where it breaches the Equality Act.
2.1.6 Older people living in their own homes often face financial difficulties in maintaining or meeting the costs of selling and moving.
2.1.7 Supported housing and residential care homes are a costly alternative, vary widely in quality of accommodation, catering and health and social care and rarely provide for the diverse cultural and social needs of residents.
2.2 The challenges people face in accessing housing which meets their needs.
2.2.1 Alongside the lack of availability and choice in housing, is a lack of information for planning authorities
2.2.2 Information is not gathered in a way which integrates information from health and social care services, the voluntary sector and housing sectors in the social, private and supported housing sectors, particularly in the private sector.
2.2.3 There is also a serious lack of independent broad based information, advice and guidance for older people.
2.3 The adequacy of current planning policy and Government initiatives in England in meeting the housing needs older people
2.3.1 Planning Authorities are required to assess need and viability and provide evidence for setting levels of M4(2) and M4(3) housing. Neither Manchester’s Local Plan and the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework have M4(3) Housing included in new housing developments. This issue may be addressed through proposals in the White Paper.
2.3.2 Planning Authorities have not been required to consider the increasing needs for accessible housing by older people nor to take into account strategies in the NHS to move more people out of hospital and providing continuing medical care at home.
2.3.3 Planning Authorities are not able to incorporate the availability of funding for adaptations and improvements in their planning. The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is not managed by Planning Authorities, and the funds are generally insufficient to meet demand. The DFG is not ring-fenced and Local Authorities are not required to add additional funds (Habinteg Briefing on DFG, 2015). The size and provision of the fund has been affected by government cuts.
2.3.4 Planning policy has enhanced the role of neighbourhood groups, but these groups usually have little knowledge of access guidance and standards. To maintain the involvement of older people in communities, accessible neighbourhoods should be accessible and regeneration funds are no longer available.
2.3.5 Neighbourhood groups would be assisted with support from Access Groups, who are aware of best practice, legislation and standards.
2.3.6 There is a lack of joint agency work in deciding policy and strategies at a strategic level but also a lack of understanding and awareness of access issues during the planning process.
2.3.7 Older people are as diverse, with a range of cultural differences and preferences, as other age groups, and planning policy and strategies should consider equality and diversity issues alongside accessibility and other issues to ensure choice for older people.
2.4 Whether more housing designed specifically for older people could help address England’s wider housing needs
2.4.1 Designing for older people should not be seen as separate from designing for disabled people. However, changes in lifestyle and the effects of family changes, finance and health, faced by many older people also need to be considered. The wider community and neighbourhood environments and facilities can play a key role in supporting wellbeing.
2.4.2 Inclusive design and ensuring a wider choice and range of housing provision, suitable for older people and people planning for the long term, is likely to provide more options for people to move or downsize.
2.4.3 Many older houses can be adapted and redesigned to be more suitable for older people but there are few funds for this.
2.4.4 There is a lack of research and information on the possibilities and benefits of intergenerational living options for families and within communities.
2.4.5 Most older people, when asked, opt to remain in their homes and allowing people choice in where they choose to live, should be a priority. MDPAG would strongly oppose using legislation, tax or benefits to force people to downsize, particularly as it would have negative effects on people’s finances, health and independence.
2.5 The extent to which improving specialist housing provision could improve people’s health and wellbeing and deliver savings in public expenditure
2.5.1 Current specialist housing provision, including supported and residential options, are very variable in the quality of accommodation, health care and support and often do not meet the diverse cultural, social and emotional needs of many older people, which creates additional health and care costs for public expenditure.
2.5.2 Specialist housing provision can be expensive, and charges and support from local authorities appears inconsistent. It may be the best option for some people but most disabled people prefer to stay in their homes as long as possible. This is likely to save more money than moving people into long term supported housing or residential care.
2.6 The availability of finance to help older people “right size” in retirement and the impact of the cap on Housing Benefit from April 2017 on the development of specialist housing.
2.6.1 The establishment of an independent advice and guidance network of advisers, advising on more than just financial options, would assist older people in making better decisions
2.6.2 It would help if finance was available for older people to bring their houses up to a saleable condition, for landlords and social housing providers to improve accessibility, provide more inter-generational homes, and support older people to downsize.
2.6.3 MDPAG strongly opposes sanctions on people who wish to remain in their homes.
2.6.4 Caps on housing benefit may affect the availability of housing for people renting in the private and social sectors and moving into supported housing and residential accommodation, and may make the building of new provision less cost effective for providers.
2.7 Whether a national strategy for the support of housing provision for older people is needed.
2.7.1 A national strategy, raising awareness of older people’s needs, should encourage all agencies to consider older people in planning for the future. GMCA is developing a regional strategy (MICRA)
2.7.2 Any strategy should incorporate regulations and standards for disabled people and inclusive design features and consider Lifetime Neighourhoods (DCLG).
2.7.3 Some older and disabled people have additional design requirements, e.g. people in different stages of dementia, and there are a number of useful guides and research projects available to support this area.
2.7.4 Strategies and policies should incorporate the need for accessible environments, accessible services and facilities and an awareness of older people’s issues and experiences.
3. Recommendations
3.1 The increasing numbers of older people and people requiring continuing health care at home from hospitals should be included in the needs and viability assessments, along with disabled people, for additional new M4(3) housing in Local Plans and Regional strategies.
3.2 Planning authorities should be required to work with other agencies, in particular health, social care and the voluntary sector, to identify and develop joint needs assessment and viability evidence to support planning targets and assess planning applications.
3.3 Legislation, guidance and financial incentives should support the improvement and adaptations of existing housing by private and social landlords and provide support for older and disabled homeowners wanting to bring their houses up to a saleable standard.
3.4 The Disabled Facilities Grant scheme should be more widely available and funded, should be ring fenced and time limits placed on assessment procedures after the initial application.
3.5 Accommodation for older people should also be adaptable for wheelchair and scooter storage and charging, and limitations on use by tenants should be removed, unless there is a health and safety issue.
3.6 Encouragement should be given to designs for the adaptation of older housing stock to make houses more accessible and suitable for older and disabled people and to support the increase in intergenerational housing provision.
3.7 The importance of accessible neighbourhoods, their environment, facilities and services for keeping older people more independent should be recognised as essential for older and disabled people and neighbourhood regeneration should be recognised as a key part of better housing provision.
3.8 More guidance, information and statistics on older and disabled people in communities from health and social care, the voluntary sector and a range of organisations supporting and involving older people, should be more widely available.
3.9 Information for Planning Authorities and for older people, particularly in relation to the private sector, could be assisted by developing and maintaining Local Registers of accessible and adaptable housing, including housing for wheelchair users.
3.10 A network of local disabled people’s access groups, working closely with older people’s organisations, similar to Access Panels in Scotland, should be established and supported, to advise, support and provided training for Planning Authorities, regeneration activities, local neighbourhood groups, professionals and individuals.
3.11 A network of trained information and guidance advisers for older people should be established, who have knowledge of financial options, grants, benefits and tax, housing options and local availability, and health, emotional, disability and care related issues. A new advice and guidance qualification, developed with organisations such as Age UK would give advisers credibility and help to maintain quality standards.
3.12 Financial and advisory support should be available for older people to challenge, through the courts, any landlords who refuse to allow adaptations under the Equality Act.
3.13 Any national strategy for older people should incorporate the standards and experience of disabled people and their organisations and take account of the emotional, financial and lifestyle changes experienced by many older people as a result of retirement, benefits and low income, family changes, bereavement and isolation.
4. Additional information and evidence
4.1 A range of research and information relating to the provision of housing and adaptations is available from Housing Lin (www.housinglin.org.uk), Habinteg (www.habinteg.org.uk), Centre for Ageing Better (www.ageing-better.org.uk). Information on loneliness and health issues is available from the NHS, Age UK, and many other organisations.
4.2 Information provided to the Age Friendly Manchester Design Group, included reports that some housing trusts will not adapt premises which they consider are under-occupied and some, e.g. Halton Housing Trust, will consider only straight stair lifts, despite different designs of houses. Shopmobility Manchester reported that social housing and other tenants are often not allowed to use scooters and have no charging facilities.
4.3 MDPAG have regular requests from local people for help with unsuitable houses for wheelchair users, inaccessible toilets and bathrooms and can be turned down for Disabled Facilities Grants or wait up to 2 years or more.
4.4 We are also aware that older people in their own homes with or without mortgages, also face difficulties when they wish to downsize or stay within their own homes. Where someone’s only asset is their house and they have reduced and limited fixed incomes, often facing additional costs of energy, medical supplies, care, gardening and transport costs, they may be unable to maintain their housing or bring their houses up to a saleable condition. Organisations such as Care and Repair provide services for older people in their homes and have much evidence on these issues.
4.5 The Centre for Ageing Better has produced a statistical overview of the need for adaptations and some of the social and economic effects of supporting older people in their homes. (Centre for Ageing Better, “Home Adaptions Infographics”. www.ageing-better.org.uk/our-work/area/home-neighbourhood/).
4.6 MICRA (Manchester University) produced a report in February 2017 “Developing a Strategy for Age Friendly Greater Manchester” as part of the GM Ageing Hub commitment to develop the city region as an international centre of excellence for ageing. It focuses on challenges and issues for age friendly housing and neighbourhoods. It notes that one-third of those 65 and over already live in one-bedroom properties (a high of 41% in Oldham and a low of 16.8% in Manchester).
4.7 The “Future or Ageing in Greater Manchester” publication points out that in twenty years, 37% of the population will be over 50 years old and 650,000 people will be over 65. The report makes many important recommendations, including the value of the greater participation of older people. However, this key report does not relate any of the recommendations to design provision and communication strategies for disabled people, which we believe is essential, as otherwise, the participation models referred to will exclude many older disabled people with various impairments, as in the Old Moat project referred to.
4.8 Identifying the numbers of disabled people in different age groups, including older disabled people is problematic, as recent cuts in disability benefits and the effect of different forms of assessment, have led to a reduction in numbers of people in receipt of benefit but are not recorded elsewhere. Blue badge holders are not always take into account but many older disabled people are unable to drive for financial or health reasons. Evidence from NHS services will also provide additional evidence of housing and support requirements.
4.9 Many alternative options for owned or rented accommodation, including assisted and specialist housing projects or care homes, are expensive and are not affordable for most people. Mystery shopping surveys have shown that care homes are variable in quality and provision, even at the top end, and do not provide the independent lifestyle or cultural diversity many older people want. Storage facilities are also very limited and older people are often unable to take important family possessions with them which adds to their feeling of isolation.
4.10 Older people are culturally diverse and Manchester is home to special provision, such as the supported housing and services provided for older Chinese residents in Manchester City Centre and new housing provision for older LGBT people in Manchester.
4.11 Innovative design for adapting and structurally improving existing older private and social sector houses to make them more accessible and adaptable for older people and families, which is currently part of a project involving Southway Housing Trust in Manchester should be encouraged.
4.12 Many new apartments planned for Manchester City Centre and those currently in various stages of planning approval, are mainly focused around expensive apartment provision, without in our view, considering the availability and suitability of appropriate local services and public facilities. One example is the St Michael’s development, which includes public spaces, designed with major access barriers, and a lack of accessible toilets, parking and other necessary facilities. The environment is also not family friendly, and is likely to exclude members from the diversity of communities who might otherwise choose to live in the City Centre.
4.13 Strategy for planning should also include the requirements for care services, particularly for people moving to new communities by downsizing, and local voluntary sector projects and organisations, such as Care and Repair and Age UK and in Greater Manchester, GMCVO’s members such as Care and Repair, and LGBT and BME communities should be included, Many faith organisations also provide voluntary services and accommodation to older and disabled people.
4.14 MDPAG has provided training for a number of planning and building control officers and is aware that there is a general
lack of understanding of guidance, legislation and building regulations, relating to the specific requirements of older and disabled people, by professionals in the housing and the building environment, including streets, highways and transport. Neighbourhood groups are also unaware of these issues. BEPE (Built Environment Professional Education Project) has recently issued “6 essential principles” for professionals working in the built environment, but planning processes often don’t often consolidate and promote best practice. Cuts in public sector funding have also led to reductions in the numbers of Access Officers in Planning Authorities. (Access Association).
4.15 The specific needs of older people, as their life changes, including the need for formal and informal social networks and support systems, also need to be more widely recognised, understood and supported.