Ageing in squalor and distress: older people in the private rented sector

The UK media often reports high figures for the amount of housing wealth owned by older people. But these reports can obscure the fact that more than 21 per cent of older people over 55 have no housing wealth at all. This percentage is likely to grow as increasing numbers of older people find themselves living in rented property. Today, the number of older people living in the private rented sector in England is significant but still relatively small. However, a key trend in the private rented sector is the growth in tenants under 40 who are likely to continue renting, unless they can secure affordable alternatives. This means that in future there is likely to be a significant rise in older private tenants. This briefing paper looks at the implications of this trend, as well as the position of the several hundred thousand older private tenants today. It reviews a selection of Age UK casework on private renting, collected between 2013 and 2016. It describes the experiences of some older private tenants and those who support and care for them, to ask how well private renting really works for older people and what needs to change if the sector is to achieve a better fit with older people’s needs and aspirations.