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Downsizing revolution: 'Desperate' minister tells elderly in big houses they will be given incentives to free up their properties for families
Ministers vowed to make it 'easier' for elderly to move into sheltered housing
Councils may help with costs of moving or decorating to encourage downsizing
Attempt to free up more family homes will form part of the Government's housing white paper, which will also aim to help those renting property
Pensioners with large family homes will be given incentives to downsize in a drive to solve the housing crisis.Ministers yesterday vowed to make it 'easier' for older homeowners to move into sheltered accommodation.
In addition to building tens of thousands of new places in specialised housing, councils could offer help with the costs of moving or decorating to encourage owners to downsize.
The attempt to free up more family homes will form part of the Government's housing white paper, which will also aim to help those renting property.
A report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said 2.6million family homes could be released on to the property market if older owners downsized.
However, the report also acknowledged 'there is a very strong emotional dimension to people's homes', and that moving home requires 'considerable effort, both physical and emotional'.
Whitehall officials stressed that ministers have no intention of putting pressure on anyone to sell their home against their will.
Housing minister Gavin Barwell was asked by ITV's Robert Peston if there will be incentives for older people 'to sell big family homes they're no longer using'.
He replied: 'Yes, the white paper will have something to say about that. I think it's important in two regards.
'First of all, we've got a lot of demographic change in the country and an increasing elderly population, so it's not just about how many houses you build, but are you building the right kind of houses?
'And secondly ... if we can make it easier for elderly people to move [into sheltered accommodation] it releases family homes that we're desperate for. It's a really interesting idea.'
A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: 'The white paper will explore ways to stimulate the market ... we want to make sure older people have a good choice of accommodation to help them to live independently for longer, and help reduce costs to social care and health systems.'
In 2014 a report by think-tank Demos proposed a 'Help to Move' scheme that would give downsizers a stamp duty exemption on properties worth up to £250,000.
Similar schemes have already been implemented on a local level.
A council in Redbridge, north-east London, helped elderly residents who wanted to move to sheltered accommodation by offering financial advice and covering the cost of moving and renovations.
In 2012, then housing minister Grant Shapps said councils should help pensioners move into 'more suitable accommodation' so their homes could be made available to young families. However, over-50s group Saga warned that those in large homes 'should not be blamed for the scarcity of affordable housing, or the economic conditions that make it difficult for younger people to get a mortgage'.
The housing white paper, due to be published tomorrow, is central to Theresa May's pledge to help families who are 'just about managing'. In a marked change of direction, the Government is also planning to make it easier and more secure for people to rent homes.
David Cameron had promised a 'property-owning democracy', but Mr Barwell yesterday admitted the number of affordable homes being built – just 32,000 last year – is 'embarrassing'.
Ministers will now put renewed focus on helping tenants by building 10,000 homes a year for the growing number of families who live in private rented accommodation.
Planning laws will be rewritten to focus on family-friendly policies, which could include a ban on landlords whose properties are substandard, action on excessive charges by agencies. and guaranteed three-year tenancies.
Mr Barwell said more homes will have to be built. 'Housing has become more and more unaffordable for people who are trying to buy or trying to rent because governments for 30 or 40 years have not built enough homes,' he said.
'We want to see more housing built in this country of every kind. At the moment we are far too dependent on a small number of large developers building our homes.
'We need to get more people involved in building homes and more different kinds ... for outright ownership, for shared ownership, for renting.'
Mr Barwell indicated that the white paper would also include measures to tackle developers who obtain planning permission for a site but then do not build on it. Those who wait too long are likely to lose planning permission, and could even face compulsory purchase orders.
As the Mail reported on Saturday, ministers have backed away from building on the green belt. Mr Barwell said: 'There is no need to take huge tracts of land out of the green belt to solve the housing crisis.
'[Councils] can take land out of the green belt in exceptional circumstances but they should have looked at every alternative first. That policy is not going change.'
However, Conservative critics have warned that local authorities are already encroaching on the green belt.
Former minister Andrew Mitchell, Tory MP for Sutton Coldfield, said large numbers of homes had been approved for land in the West Midlands without any objection by ministers.
'We have seen a monstrous plan put forward by the Labour council to build 6,000 on our treasured green belt and it has been waved through,' he told Peston.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-downsize.html
My fav comment
'Right. Tell the old codgers to clear out of the Houses of Parliament then?'
Ministers vowed to make it 'easier' for elderly to move into sheltered housing
Councils may help with costs of moving or decorating to encourage downsizing
Attempt to free up more family homes will form part of the Government's housing white paper, which will also aim to help those renting property
Pensioners with large family homes will be given incentives to downsize in a drive to solve the housing crisis.Ministers yesterday vowed to make it 'easier' for older homeowners to move into sheltered accommodation.
In addition to building tens of thousands of new places in specialised housing, councils could offer help with the costs of moving or decorating to encourage owners to downsize.
The attempt to free up more family homes will form part of the Government's housing white paper, which will also aim to help those renting property.
A report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said 2.6million family homes could be released on to the property market if older owners downsized.
However, the report also acknowledged 'there is a very strong emotional dimension to people's homes', and that moving home requires 'considerable effort, both physical and emotional'.
Whitehall officials stressed that ministers have no intention of putting pressure on anyone to sell their home against their will.
Housing minister Gavin Barwell was asked by ITV's Robert Peston if there will be incentives for older people 'to sell big family homes they're no longer using'.
He replied: 'Yes, the white paper will have something to say about that. I think it's important in two regards.
'First of all, we've got a lot of demographic change in the country and an increasing elderly population, so it's not just about how many houses you build, but are you building the right kind of houses?
'And secondly ... if we can make it easier for elderly people to move [into sheltered accommodation] it releases family homes that we're desperate for. It's a really interesting idea.'
A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: 'The white paper will explore ways to stimulate the market ... we want to make sure older people have a good choice of accommodation to help them to live independently for longer, and help reduce costs to social care and health systems.'
In 2014 a report by think-tank Demos proposed a 'Help to Move' scheme that would give downsizers a stamp duty exemption on properties worth up to £250,000.
Similar schemes have already been implemented on a local level.
A council in Redbridge, north-east London, helped elderly residents who wanted to move to sheltered accommodation by offering financial advice and covering the cost of moving and renovations.
In 2012, then housing minister Grant Shapps said councils should help pensioners move into 'more suitable accommodation' so their homes could be made available to young families. However, over-50s group Saga warned that those in large homes 'should not be blamed for the scarcity of affordable housing, or the economic conditions that make it difficult for younger people to get a mortgage'.
The housing white paper, due to be published tomorrow, is central to Theresa May's pledge to help families who are 'just about managing'. In a marked change of direction, the Government is also planning to make it easier and more secure for people to rent homes.
David Cameron had promised a 'property-owning democracy', but Mr Barwell yesterday admitted the number of affordable homes being built – just 32,000 last year – is 'embarrassing'.
Ministers will now put renewed focus on helping tenants by building 10,000 homes a year for the growing number of families who live in private rented accommodation.
Planning laws will be rewritten to focus on family-friendly policies, which could include a ban on landlords whose properties are substandard, action on excessive charges by agencies. and guaranteed three-year tenancies.
Mr Barwell said more homes will have to be built. 'Housing has become more and more unaffordable for people who are trying to buy or trying to rent because governments for 30 or 40 years have not built enough homes,' he said.
'We want to see more housing built in this country of every kind. At the moment we are far too dependent on a small number of large developers building our homes.
'We need to get more people involved in building homes and more different kinds ... for outright ownership, for shared ownership, for renting.'
Mr Barwell indicated that the white paper would also include measures to tackle developers who obtain planning permission for a site but then do not build on it. Those who wait too long are likely to lose planning permission, and could even face compulsory purchase orders.
As the Mail reported on Saturday, ministers have backed away from building on the green belt. Mr Barwell said: 'There is no need to take huge tracts of land out of the green belt to solve the housing crisis.
'[Councils] can take land out of the green belt in exceptional circumstances but they should have looked at every alternative first. That policy is not going change.'
However, Conservative critics have warned that local authorities are already encroaching on the green belt.
Former minister Andrew Mitchell, Tory MP for Sutton Coldfield, said large numbers of homes had been approved for land in the West Midlands without any objection by ministers.
'We have seen a monstrous plan put forward by the Labour council to build 6,000 on our treasured green belt and it has been waved through,' he told Peston.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-downsize.html
My fav comment
'Right. Tell the old codgers to clear out of the Houses of Parliament then?'
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