Lifetime Homes
Why?
A Lifetime Home can offer particular benefits to older people and people with physical impairments, whether they actually live in the property or want to visit relatives and friends without difficulty. Bringing Lifetime Homes design into the general housing stock should, over time, allow older people to stay in their own homes for longer, reduce the need for home adaptations and give greater choice to disabled adults and young people who cannot achieve independent living due to lack of suitable housing.
Older people
The Government’s strategy report Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods (2008) states that the older population is expected to increase dramatically over the next 30 years. The projected increases are:
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76% for the over 65s
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95% for the over 75s and
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184% for the over 85s
In addition, 30% of all households are already headed by someone over retirement age and older people will make up almost half (48%) of the growth in new households by 2026. These figures will have a significant impact on the housing market because the decisions that older people make, such as whether to move home or stay put and make improvements or adaptations to their existing home, affect the whole market, which in turn will have to work hard to match their needs and aspirations.
The majority of older people live in their own homes and others live with relatives, under a variety of arrangements. Just under 75% of older people aged 90 and over were living in a private household in 2001 and around 20% of those aged 85 and over were living in sheltered housing. People aged 85 and over spend 90% of their time in their homes and 60% of this group live alone, making it even more important that they can make full use of their home, including moving around in it, and look after their daily needs themselves as far as possible. Although over two thirds of older people own their own home, a significant number of these are on very low incomes, meaning they are unable to adapt or improve their homes to meet their changing needs. Overall, 2.1 million older households still live in non-decent homes.
Some older people are increasingly feeling that they are becoming prisoners in their own home, and it is more important than ever to ensure that support and services are available to help them remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible. Good housing design is vital in promoting well-being and improving quality of life, both in general housing and in sheltered and supported housing or housing with care. Lifetime Homes design offers a way to improve and extend housing for an adaptable and sustainable future for older people.
Click here to see the Disability Rights Commission (now Equality and Human Rights Commission) campaign film 'Shopping' which highlights the need for accessible housing for older people.
Younger disabled people
Statistics show that: 
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Over 40% of disabled young people aged 16 - 24 are living in accommodation that does not meet their needs
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40% of wheelchair users experience difficulties moving around their own home
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There has been a 44% increase in the number of homeless households in priority need because a household member has a physical impairment
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5.5% of all postgraduate students (UK) and 6.8% of undergraduate students (UK) have physical impairments, with approximately 4% of each being wheelchair users
The transition to adulthood for young people with a disability is often a frustrating and disappointing experience, because there is a serious lack of support and provision to help them move into appropriate and suitable accommodation, that will allow them as much independence as they would like. Owner occupation is beyond the incomes of the majority of disabled people, specialist housing is prohibitively expensive and social housing is limited and not always appropriate.
The only choices available for many young disabled people are to move into unsuitable or inappropriate residential accommodation or to continue living with their parents or family, which puts considerable pressure and burden on all involved.
There are 24,000 disabled young adults living in care homes, with more than 9,000 (approximately 38%) of these living in homes designed for an entirely different group, for example older people. Placing a disabled young person in the community inappropriately and without the necessary support will give them much less choice and restrain their independence, and in some cases can result in enforced isolation.
Overall, 2.1 million older households still live in non-decent homes. The number of disabled older people is rising as people live into older age and younger people with disabilities live longer than in previous generations. Good housing design is vital in fostering well-being, both in general housing and in sheltered and supported housing or housing with care.
The Government has recognised the benefits of using the Lifetime Homes design criteria and acknowledged that improving the suitability of new build and renovated homes for disabled people will increase their choices and secure considerable savings in future public spending.