Asked by: Ben Everitt (Conservative - Milton Keynes North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Departments policy paper entitled Levelling Up the United Kingdom published on 2 February 2022, when he plans to launch the Task Force on Older People's Housing.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Ensuring older people have access to the right homes that suit their needs can help them to live independently for longer and feel more connected to their communities. Our Government is committed to further improving the diversity of housing options available to older people and boosting the supply of specialist elderly accommodation, including housing with care.
The taskforce on older people's housing, which we announced in the Levelling Up White Paper will explore how we can improve the choice of and access to housing options for older people
Arrangements for the taskforce are still ongoing and further details will be released in due course.
We continue to work in partnership with DHSC colleagues and with housing, health and social care stakeholders to look at how we can further support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to increase the supply of older people’s housing.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
My department works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to provide capital funding to incentivise supply. This includes my department's £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme which includes delivery within the programme for new supported housing for older, disabled and other vulnerable people.
DHSC's Adult Social Care Reform White Paper reiterated the Government's commitment to the important role of supported housing. This included the continuation of the Care and Support Specialised Housing (CASSH) Fund.
In February 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper announced a taskforce on older people's housing to explore how we can improve the choice of and access to housing options for older people. We continue to work in partnership with DHSC colleagues and with housing, health and social care stakeholders to look at how we can further support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector.
We note the recommendations in Professor Mayhew's recent review alongside contributions from other stakeholders.
I would be happy to meet with my Rt. Hon. Friend to discuss this important issue.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing the recommendations of the Mayhew Review on future-proofing retirement living.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
My department works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to provide capital funding to incentivise supply. This includes my department's £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme which includes delivery within the programme for new supported housing for older, disabled and other vulnerable people.
DHSC's Adult Social Care Reform White Paper reiterated the Government's commitment to the important role of supported housing. This included the continuation of the Care and Support Specialised Housing (CASSH) Fund.
In February 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper announced a taskforce on older people's housing to explore how we can improve the choice of and access to housing options for older people. We continue to work in partnership with DHSC colleagues and with housing, health and social care stakeholders to look at how we can further support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector.
We note the recommendations in Professor Mayhew's recent review alongside contributions from other stakeholders.
I would be happy to meet with my Rt. Hon. Friend to discuss this important issue.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation to protect residents of retirement villages and for setting minimum standards for operators of retirement communities.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
In the Levelling Up White Paper, we committed to a new taskforce on the issue of older people's housing, which will look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector in this country.
Where retirement housing providers are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing, the Regulator has the role of ensuring that providers are well-managed and are able to meet the regulatory standards.
The Care Quality Commission oversees standards of personal care services in housing-with-care retirement settings irrespective of housing tenure.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, what steps his Department is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social care to increase the supply of (a) older people’s housing and (b) housing with care.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Ensuring older people have access to the right homes that suit their needs can help them to live independently for longer and feel more connected to their communities. The Government is committed to improving the diversity of housing options available to older people and boosting the supply of specialist elderly accommodation, including housing with care.
My department works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
DHSC's Adult Social Care Reform White Paper reiterated the Government's commitment to the important role of supported housing.
In February 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper announced a taskforce on older people's housing to explore how we can improve the choice of and access to housing options for older people.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what progress has been made on establishing a taskforce on older people's housing.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
In February the Levelling Up White Paper announced a new taskforce on older people’s housing to explore how we can improve the choice of and access to housing options for older people.
We continue to work with in partnership with DHSC, colleagues across government and with housing, health and social care stakeholders to look at how we can further support the growth of a thriving older people’s housing sector.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support vulnerable residents living in the community will receive during the period of extreme heat.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
No formal assessment of the impacts of extreme heat on those living in residential care has been made. However, the ‘Heatwave Plan for England’ sets out the risks to vulnerable people from extreme temperatures, including older people, those with pre-existing health conditions and care home residents. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has engaged with local resilience forums (LRFs) to ensure awareness of the latest heat wave guidance. All LRFs should respond to Heat Health Alerts using local protocols, including the Heat Health Toolkit which can be adapted from the Heatwave Plan for England.
Local authorities have plans to respond to adverse weather events and provide guidance and support to adult social care providers to ensure safety and continuity of care. Registered care home providers are also required to have adverse weather contingency plans, reviewed annually by the Care Quality Commission and should monitor residents’ health and provide extra fluids where required.
For those receiving domiciliary care, local authorities and providers share information on prioritising those most at risk and intervening if needed. The UK Health Security Agency’s guidance for carers and managers in residential care homes and for health and social care professionals has been shared with local authorities and providers. All care providers are expected to support good health and safety practice.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support he is providing to domiciliary care staff during periods of extreme heat.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
No formal assessment of the impacts of extreme heat on those living in residential care has been made. However, the ‘Heatwave Plan for England’ sets out the risks to vulnerable people from extreme temperatures, including older people, those with pre-existing health conditions and care home residents. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has engaged with local resilience forums (LRFs) to ensure awareness of the latest heat wave guidance. All LRFs should respond to Heat Health Alerts using local protocols, including the Heat Health Toolkit which can be adapted from the Heatwave Plan for England.
Local authorities have plans to respond to adverse weather events and provide guidance and support to adult social care providers to ensure safety and continuity of care. Registered care home providers are also required to have adverse weather contingency plans, reviewed annually by the Care Quality Commission and should monitor residents’ health and provide extra fluids where required.
For those receiving domiciliary care, local authorities and providers share information on prioritising those most at risk and intervening if needed. The UK Health Security Agency’s guidance for carers and managers in residential care homes and for health and social care professionals has been shared with local authorities and providers. All care providers are expected to support good health and safety practice.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the risks of extreme heat to people living in residential care.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
No formal assessment of the impacts of extreme heat on those living in residential care has been made. However, the ‘Heatwave Plan for England’ sets out the risks to vulnerable people from extreme temperatures, including older people, those with pre-existing health conditions and care home residents. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has engaged with local resilience forums (LRFs) to ensure awareness of the latest heat wave guidance. All LRFs should respond to Heat Health Alerts using local protocols, including the Heat Health Toolkit which can be adapted from the Heatwave Plan for England.
Local authorities have plans to respond to adverse weather events and provide guidance and support to adult social care providers to ensure safety and continuity of care. Registered care home providers are also required to have adverse weather contingency plans, reviewed annually by the Care Quality Commission and should monitor residents’ health and provide extra fluids where required.
For those receiving domiciliary care, local authorities and providers share information on prioritising those most at risk and intervening if needed. The UK Health Security Agency’s guidance for carers and managers in residential care homes and for health and social care professionals has been shared with local authorities and providers. All care providers are expected to support good health and safety practice.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the formation of the cross-departmental taskforce on older people’s housing, as outlined in the Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper, published on 2 February.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
This Government is committed to further improving the diversity of housing options available to older people and boosting the supply of specialist elderly accommodation.
The Older People's Housing taskforce will look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector in this country. This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care. Further details about the taskforce including panel membership and scope will be confirmed in due course.