Retirement homes boost responds to ‘chronic undersupply’
4th August 2015

More retirement homes were registered to be built in the UK in the first six months of this year than the whole of the previous year, according to new figures released by NHBC.

Builders registered a total of 2,337 properties specifically designed for the elderly in the first six months of 2015 - outstripping the total 1,919 which were registered for the whole of 2014.

NHBC Chief Executive Mike Quinton said of the figures: "We are very encouraged to see an increase in the number of retirement homes being registered. It is widely acknowledged that the UK has a shortage of homes for the elderly, which is having a knock on effect on the rest of the housing market.

"However more has to be done to address the needs of last time buyers. There is a chronic undersupply of specialist retirement housing in the UK. We would like to see a national strategy for retirement housing and stronger government policies to support its provision.

The NHBC reported that more than 41,000 new homes were registered in the UK during the last three months - an increase of 12% on the same period last year.

In total, 41,268 new homes (30,462 private sector; 10,806 public sector) were registered, compared to 36,986 (27,388 private sector; 9,598 public sector) registered during Q2 last year.

The public sector is also showing encouraging signs of a revival with a 13% increase in affordable homes registered in the whole of the UK over the last three months from 9,598 in Q2 2014 to 10,806 in Q2 2015.

On the overall picture, Mike Quinton added: "Our figures show that 2015 is shaping up to be an encouraging year for new housing growth with new housing registrations up 12 per cent on the second quarter of last year.

"However, we have made clear that while all signs of growth are to be welcomed, the UK is still building way below the volumes of homes that we need. There is a long way to go before our housing crisis is over."

www.nhbc.co.uk