Lifetime Homes
Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods Pledge
February 25th 2010 marks the second anniversary of the Government’s publication of ‘Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods; A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society’.
We note the Government’s announcement in the 2009 Pre Budget Report that it will not fulfil its commitment to make Lifetime Homes a mandatory requirement at Level Four of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The Strategy was unequivocal about the housing challenge posed by our country’s changing age profile and explicit about the need, by 2013, for all new homes to be Lifetime Homes.
Adopting this as a minimum standard for new houses will, over time, enable more people to live independently. This will not only reduce personal costs for care and adaptation and lower public expenditure for social and health care - it will boost people’s quality of life by giving them greater choice about where they can live whatever their personal abilities.
The Strategy was also clear that the local neighbourhood is critical in facilitating independence for many people. It committed the Government to bring forward measures to encourage the development of ‘Lifetime Neighbourhoods’. Strong progress is happening locally. Cities up and down the country promote Lifetime Homes. Since 2004, the London Plan has required all new public and private sector homes to adopt the Lifetime Homes standard. Manchester has set itself the goal of becoming an ‘Age Friendly City’ by 2020 through the creation of lifetime homes and neighbourhoods.
Despite the current economic down-turn, the challenges the Government identified exactly two years ago not only remain, but draw inexorably closer. To ensure that inclusive design of homes and neighbourhoods remains on the Government’s policy agenda, and to continue the development of good practice, Age Concern and Help the Aged, the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA), Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR) and Habinteg Housing Association have agreed to establish The Foundation for Lifetime Homes and Neighbourhoods. We pledge our support for the Foundation in continuing to campaign for accessible flexible inclusively designed homes and neighbourhoods.
Support us! Sign up to the Foundation's Pledge. Please note that your name / organisation may be used as part of the Foundation's campaign.
You can print and sign the Pledge and return it to us by fax, post, or e-mail. Alternatively, e-mail us with your details to say that you support the Pledge.
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Contact us for more information about the Foundation or our Pledge.
