A growing number of older people are being denied proper access to housing choice according to the Home Builders Federation (HBF). Housing minister Margaret Beckett has been urged to ensure that older people are not forgotten in favour of first-time buyers and homeowners as the housing market crisis continues. The HBF said that significant social and economic benefits come from the provision of good quality specialist housing – not least that retirement housing frees up under-occupied family sized housing – with beneficial results to the whole housing chain.
