Housing LIN

Travelling back from Manchester after visiting the first session of a new intergenerational partnership with a Sanctuary housing scheme and local primary school. It's truly powerful stuff connecting across the generations and I'm a true campaigner for more of it! Billy, one of the residents from the sheltered housing scheme had been at the same school over 70 + years ago, although experiencing life very differently. So much change in just a couple of generations. These projects are real social connection - busting ageist stereotypes and misconceptions and fears of each other. So vital to cultivating a sense of belonging and building empathetic communities. You may not know, but this is 'Intergenerational week' and I was delighted to be invited to write a short blog for the HousingLIN about our work at InCommon which you can read below. They're hosting a webinar looking at national and international approaches to intergenerational living on 6th May - something worth checking out! https://lnkd.in/e9-ZXrt2

In celebration of Global Intergenerational Week, today's Housing LIN guest blog by Harriet Warden, Empower Programme Manager at InCommon, explores the evolution and impact of Empower, InCommon’s innovative online platform designed to scale intergenerational projects between schools and retirement housing. Since our evaluation a year ago, InCommon has expanded its reach, built new partnerships—especially within care homes—and refined its platform based on sector feedback. The blog highlights how Empower supports community building, combats loneliness, and helps facilitate emotional growth in children. Read on to find out more about the ongoing success stories, upcoming Age-Friendly Awards, and how you can get involved in creating age-friendly, intergenerational communities across the UK. 👉https://lnkd.in/etcPzrCu #GIW25 #HLINblog #IntergenerationalCommunities #RetirementHousing #AgeFriendly

📢This is your opportunity to help shape practical tools to support older people in your community! Centre for Ageing Better, Arup, and Housing LIN are working together to develop practical tools and resources to help councils take an age-friendly approach to planning, policy, and service delivery. We are inviting people working in all kinds of councils in the UK to complete an 👉online survey👈 to help us understand what would help them to better meet the needs of their older residents, now and in the future. Whether you’re new or experienced with age-friendly work, this is a chance to help shape practical resources for councils. 📝Take this short online survey (5-15 minutes) by Tuesday, 13th May 23:45 💻Join a 1.5-hour online focus group (May – June) ⚒️Participate in a 1.5-hour co-design workshop to shape the new tools (June – July) Participation offers useful insights and ideas for creating inclusive, age-friendly places. We are interested in learning from different teams and departments, so please feel free to share the survey with other council colleagues. Take survey: https://lnkd.in/eZyMuuT5

🏘️ New report highlights the pivotal role of women in shaping Scotland’s community-based housing associations (CBHAs) Led by Professor Kim McKee (University of Stirling), the study uncovers how women were central to founding and leading CBHAs in the 1970s–80s—driving social change, tackling stigma, and building tenant-led, place-based housing models that remain vital today. 🔍 The report calls for: 💠Greater recognition of Scotland’s unique CBHA model 💠Continued investment from the government and councils 💠Bespoke training for new CBHA leaders 💠Efforts to diversify board membership 💠A policy that reflects the sector’s diversity Professor McKee notes: “CBHAs are rooted in working-class communities. Their strength lies in local knowledge, tenant-focus, and real people power.” This is the first case study from the Intersectional Stigma of Place-based Ageing project, led by Professor Vikki McCall. 📅 The findings will be showcased at a GWSF 50th anniversary event on April 29 in Glasgow. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ev35ccFM #CommunityHousing #CBHA #WomenInLeadership #HousingJustice #PlaceBased #SocialHousing #PeoplePower #GWSF #ScotlandHousing #ISPA

Delighted to visit Elim Housing Association’s Elizabeth Close last week — a thoughtfully designed 6-unit independent living scheme for people with learning disabilities, delivered in collaboration with NOMA Architects🏡 What makes Elizabeth Close truly stand out: ✅ Fully funded through a unique partnership — 85% NHS and 15% Homes England, totalling £3m. This is the only joint-funded scheme of its kind in the UK. ✅ On-site carers’ block for immediate, round-the-clock support ✅ External access to plumbing and electrics, such as underfloor heating  — reducing disruption to residents And the thoughtful details make all the difference: 🌿 A green room, solar panels, and an air source heat pump 🔐 Security fencing that offers protection without compromising privacy 🧩 Fob access for safety and convenience 🚪 Dual doors in every unit for flexible and secure entry 🪟 Slim, secure windows that maximise natural light Coming soon: a community café open to residents and neighbours alike — a brilliant way to build connections and foster inclusion☕ Huge credit to Elim Housing Association and all partners involved in making Elizabeth Close such a forward-thinking, inclusive, and sustainable development👏 Big thanks to Paul Smith (Chief Executive) and Peter Crouch (Head of Development) for the insightful tour and for sharing the inspiring vision behind the scheme. #SocialHousing #Inclusion #Sustainability #IndependentLiving #Architecture #LearningDisabilities #CommunityBuilding Lois Beech Cicily Biju Hannah W.

Have arrived in Sheffield this afternoon for the annual Housing Studies Association conference! Looking forward to catching up with colleagues old & new, and presenting some of my own emerging work on the ISPA project: https://lnkd.in/edwxdK4a

Last week, I had the honour of presenting my PhD to Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England. This was an incredible experience to share my work with the leading influential figure in UK public health today. I presented my research projects exploring the critical links between housing and health, and we discussed how policy and practice can be shaped to harness housing as a powerful tool for improving population wellbeing. It was a real privilege to engage in meaningful conversation with Sir Chris Whitty about my findings and to reflect on the implications for future public health strategies. His insight and commitment to evidence-based policy were very inspiring. I’m incredibly grateful to all my supervisors including Esther Walton Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE and Andrew Heath for all their guidance and support. Esther has championed my work from the very beginning with unwavering support, and so it was great to experience the day together. A big thank you to Andrew Dunne , for curating such a thoughtful and impactful event. Opportunities to contribute to conversations at this level don’t come around often, and this day will remain a defining moment in my career. I was proud to represent the University of Bath , University of Bath Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences , University of Bath Faculty of Engineering & Design and AAPS CDT - EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems . I am thankful for the University’s continued support and commitment to my development and research. I left the day feeling even more motivated to push forward with the next phases of my work. Outside of the University, I’m also really thankful to Housing Studies Association’s and UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence support to my career, particularly from Dr Tom Simcock and Gareth Young . Further, the Housing LIN and Jeremy Porteus Future Leaders in Housing programme has been a big part of my learning journey over the last year. This visit came at a critical time for housing and health, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. If you want to read more about Sir Chris Whitty’s visit to the University, you can read it here: https://lnkd.in/eVHDSZsT

This blog by Professor Tine Buffel explores the pressing issues of urban ageing and spatial justice, inspired by the Housing LIN’s Festival of Ideas conference #HLINcon25 in Leeds. Drawing on insights from the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) and the book Reimagining Age-Friendly Communities, Tine's blog highlights how cities can be reimagined to better serve an ageing, diverse population. Themes such as social justice, co-production, and inclusive urban design are central. Read on to find out more about innovative approaches, community-led projects, and a call to action for policymakers to create more age-friendly, equitable cities for all. 🔗https://lnkd.in/eWk7XkS4

Just a heads-up that there's a Government Call for Evidence deadline coming up on 28th April. The consultation, Preparing for an ageing society, has been launched to support the Economic Affairs Committee's inquiry to investigate the impact of ageing on the UK economy, the opportunities and challenges the Government needs to consider given the demographic trends, the policies necessary to adapt to this future and the broader behavioural changes that may be required... L-i -n-k in the Comments below. Judith Phillips Julienne Elizabeth Meyer CBE Vikki McCall Alison Benzimra Ilaria Bellantuono Jeremy Porteus

📢 PM urged to address housing needs of our ageing population 📢 As we face one of the most significant demographic shifts in decades, the Housing and Ageing Alliance (HAA) has written to the Prime Minister, calling for the upcoming Housing Strategy to take bold, decisive action on housing for older people. With support from organisations like Age UK, Centre for Ageing Better, Chartered Institute of Housing, NHF, ARCO, and more, the letter urges Government to prioritise: 🏡 More specialist and adaptable homes 🏘️ Improved mainstream and community-led housing 📐 Better planning, design, and digital innovation ℹ️ Access to advice and information 👥 Stronger leadership and cross-sector collaboration These recommendations are rooted in the work of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, which laid out a clear path to create affordable, lifelong homes that support independence and wellbeing in later life. It’s time for housing policy to catch up with the needs of our ageing population. The evidence—and the urgency—are clear. 📄 Read the full letter here: https://lnkd.in/ewDuvwdU #HousingStrategy #AgeingWell #LaterLifeLiving #InclusiveDesign #PolicyChange #OlderPeople #SocialImpact #HousingInnovation #HAA