Retired and renting - the trend isn't comforting

The risk is growing that we will see more and more older people living in housing-related poverty. That is one conclusion of the Stocktake of New Zealand's Housing released this week. It reflects a toxic combination of trends. One is the declining rate of home ownership, which means that more of the 65-plus age group will be renting — and that age group is growing apace as the population ages. The second element of this toxic brew is entrenched inequality of income and wealth, including among older New Zealanders.