Co-living for older people

New research explores the views of experts and stakeholders on the different models co-living.

Various models of co-living for older people have developed in recent years, hoping to provide solutions to some of the housing challenges faced by older people. A new stakeholder review, published in April 2019 by the Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research, explores the views of stakeholders and experts to gather their knowledge and experience of different models of co-living.

This stakeholder review is part of Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research’s wider project to assess co-living housing for older people, with regards to the benefits, risks and opportunity for models to be offered at scale.

Co-living models take various forms; for example, co-living developments, where older home-owners pool resources to purchase homes with other older people; or home-sharing schemes to accommodate lodgers who provide help with household chores in return for low cost rent.

Many vulnerable older people face challenges of poor housing, disability, financial poverty, loneliness and lack of access to support. In response to this need, the Nationwide Foundation is funding this work by Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research to explore the benefits, risks and potential for co-living models to be offered at scale to deliver more affordable and suitable homes.

More about this funding