Statement on the Welsh Assembly Government’s Response to the Social Justice and Regeneration Committee’s Report on Housing for Older People

I welcome the Social Justice and Regeneration Committee’s review and report on housing for older people. It demonstrates the committee’s commitment, as well as my own, to taking forward this important aspect of the strategy for older people. Much hard work went into compiling this report, and I am also encouraged by the close cross-party co-operation that has taken place, particularly as it ensured that the focus did not deviate from older people and their many needs.

The report makes 26 recommendations, which are cross-sector in scope, notably on housing, health and social care. If you have had an opportunity to read your budget papers you will see that there is a good news story in my budget on the social housing grant and Wanless money, which I hope will help us with regard to closer working between health and social care. The committee considered several important issues such as joint provision, occupational therapist services, sheltered housing and extra-care schemes, as well as the valuable contribution that the voluntary sector makes to service provision. During the research and evidence-gathering phases of the review, several visits were made to social care schemes as well as to several care and repair agencies. It is fair to say that the committee was impressed with what it saw. Members were not only struck by the range and quality of services offered, and the innovation and good practice in existence, but by the high degree of professionalism, dedication and commitment exhibited by these organisations and their staff.

The report was the product of wide-ranging consultation, orally and in correspondence, while the appointment of an expert adviser was also important in terms of guidance, knowledge and expertise. However, consultation is often an ongoing process, and as the report is now in the public domain we would welcome comments and observations from all interested parties and individuals on the content, recommendations and further direction that we must take in policy.

Research has shown that, over the next 40 years, the population will age significantly. Older people are more likely than younger people to experience poor housing conditions, to lack modern amenities or facilities in their own homes and to need adaptations to enable them to live independently. Despite being homeowners, many older people have relatively low incomes and limited savings and, as a consequence, they often face major difficulties in coping with repairs, improvements and adaptation costs. Older people are also significantly more likely to suffer from a long-term illness that limits their activities and requires some form of care, support or adaptation to their homes.

Most of these issues are covered in the report, and I fully accept most of the report’s recommendations, as my written statement made clear. The recommendations are principally focused on the need for more integrated care and joint working, increased funding for domiciliary care, the need for more sheltered housing, specialised accommodation and extra-care facilities, continued support for care and repair services, solutions to the shortage of occupational therapists, a review of the disabled facilities grants regime, and consideration of equity release schemes and other loan mechanisms as viable options. Several of the recommendations call for further guidance and research, while others, such as the disabled facilities grant review, alternative loan packages and continued support for care and repair are already being taken forward.

On extra-care housing schemes, several registered social landlords have engaged closely with individual local authorities and health partnerships in developing housing schemes for the elderly. However, I also recognise that in some rural areas the degree of need may be insufficient to support the development of specialised forms of provision such as the type of extra-care schemes that have now been completed in some of our towns and cities. In these areas, and elsewhere, there will often be a need for small-scale solutions, and I recognise the need for funding mechanisms and strategic planning to incorporate the flexibility to support such solutions. This will be reflected in the revised guidance that we will provide in support of recommendation 2.
Clarification of the role that sheltered housing and other specialised accommodation can play in the overall range of provision will be informed by the research projects that I have agreed to support under recommendations 18 and 19. These should also help to provide examples of good practice and the lessons that have been learnt from earlier schemes.
The strategy for older people, introduced by the Welsh Assembly Government, offers a comprehensive and integrated approach and follows extensive consultation with all partners, including older people themselves. Moreover, it provides a framework for all statutory bodies in Wales to plan for the implications of an ageing society, address age discrimination and improve services for older people now. Local authorities and the voluntary sector are making excellent progress in implementing this ground-breaking strategy, which we are supporting with funding of £10 million over four years.

One of the key commitments in the older people’s strategy, in relation to housing and independence, is to conduct a national debate on meeting the future housing needs of older people. The Assembly’s Cabinet sub-committee on older people has also identified this issue as a main priority.

In parallel with the preparation for the national debate, work is continuing to ensure that the housing, health and social care needs of older people are more closely aligned. Ensuring that there are strong links at every level between health, social care and housing is, of course, particularly relevant to taking forward the Wanless report and the Wales care strategy group report by actively promoting independence or preventing people from moving to a higher level of dependence. As a step forward on this, we will be establishing an integrated housing, health and social care officials team. The publication of the Social Justice and Regeneration Committee’s report is therefore both timely and helpful in providing context and evidence for the further important work that is to follow on housing and older people.