MP says old people with big homes ‘should downsize to ease housing crisis’
Older people with large homes could be encouraged to ‘downsize’ to help ease Britain’s housing crisis, ministers have been told.
Cherilyn Mackrory, Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth, called on the Government to provide more options for elderly people looking to move.
She told the Commons yesterday: ‘It will come as no surprise to everyone in this chamber that housing is the number one issue for my constituency in Cornwall.
‘Only 2.5% of the UK’s 29million dwellings are defined as retirement housing and the stock is heavily skewed towards housing with three or four bedrooms.
‘The Government must increase the proportion of housing stock for people of retirement age and encourage those over 65 in properties with surplus bedrooms to downsize, those who wish to that is.
‘That will allow younger families to up-size to reduce the pressure to build more houses, and therefore easing the housing the crisis and improving health and wellbeing for older residents.’
Mackrory added: ‘By the way, not all retired people want to live in retirement villages with other retired people only.
‘Some people want to live with families, and children, and see play, and see everyday life.’
The number of people in Cornwall placed in emergency accommodation has risen to 1,500, up from about 1,000 a year ago.
They are often moved between B&Bs, hotels and holidays parks, a number of times over several months.
One woman who has been living in a holiday park with her 12-month-old son near Newquay since January told the BBC: ‘I feel like I’ve been abandoned, and nothing has been explained.
‘I don’t know what is going on with my case, or even if they [Cornwall Council] are working on it”.
She added: ‘I’m so frustrated. I’m bidding on so many houses but nothing is ever available.
‘I’ve always private rented my whole life and always found somewhere to live. It is typical that now I’ve got my baby I can’t find anywhere.’
Last year Metro.co.uk revealed how 20,000 social homes are sold off in the UK every year.
Many are sold under the Right-to-Buy scheme introduced under Margaret Thatcher, while others are converted to higher ‘affordable’ rents and the rest are demolished.
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