The housing crisis isn’t just impacting those trying to take their first step onto the housing ladder, it’s also a challenge for the older generation, especially those on a low income. Many older renters are having to leave their existing communities and statistics show that older social renters typically live in urban areas such London boroughs, with most of these areas having high levels of deprivation.
Research conducted by Independent Age has uncovered that:
- 25% of older private renters experience long-term poverty – that is poverty for seven to nine years
- 37% experience relative income poverty after housing costs
- 45% have experienced a rent rise in the past 12 month
- Almost 6% of people aged 65-75 are in rent arrears – more than any other age group
- 70% of private renters ages 65+ say they would find it difficult to find an alternative property
- More than 1 in 5 would feel uncomfortable raising concerns with their landlord
Housing, is one of our key campaign focusses and as part of the LLA we are calling for the UK Government to create a specialist ‘Task Force on Housing for Older People.’ You can read more about this in the LLA manifesto.
