Over-55s are laying aside their home strikes as a result of scarcity of bungalows

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Your help makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Calls to convey again bungalows have been made as analysis prompt many over-55s wish to purchase one of their subsequent property transfer.

One in seven (14 per cent) owners aged 55-plus who took half in a survey mentioned they wished to maneuver, however finally felt unable to, for numerous causes, such because the the stress and upheaval concerned, a scarcity of appropriate properties, and a reluctance to depart their neighborhood behind.

The analysis, printed by the HomeOwners Alliance, prompt that 38 per cent of house owners aged 55-plus would favor a bungalow for his or her subsequent transfer.

However the HomeOwners Alliance pointed to figures from the Nationwide Home Constructing Council (NHBC), a guaranty and insurance coverage supplier, indicating that bungalows made up 11 per cent of recent dwelling registrations in 1990, however simply 1 per cent in 2024.

The NHBC has a 70 per cent-plus share of the UK guarantee market and its figures point out the inventory of recent properties within the pipeline as properties are registered with it earlier than being constructed.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/09/05/08/b533e43ac90746c390881eb924d328a1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzU3MTQwOTA0-2.20677936.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/09/05/08/b533e43ac90746c390881eb924d328a1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzU3MTQwOTA0-2.20677936.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/09/05/08/b533e43ac90746c390881eb924d328a1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzU3MTQwOTA0-2.20677936.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="The housing market needs to do more for the over-55s, a UK developer has said" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE"/> The housing market must do extra for the over-55s, a UK developer has mentioned (Yui Mok/PA) The HomeOwners Alliance survey additionally indicated that folks aged 55-plus had been extra doubtless than owners of all ages to say the stress of shifting, scarcity of appropriate properties and never wanting to maneuver away from associates and neighbours had been a barrier to shifting.

With many older owners having constructed up fairness of their property, home costs and shifting prices had been much less of a barrier to shifting for older owners than for youthful generations, the survey indicated.

Paula Higgins, chief govt of HomeOwners Alliance, mentioned: “Our analysis exhibits that too many older owners really feel caught in properties that not work for them however battle to search out an acceptable different.”

Opinium carried out the survey amongst 2,000 individuals throughout the UK in April, on behalf of HomeOwners Alliance.

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Whereas the NHBC has a 70 per cent-plus share of the UK guarantee market, its figures won't essentially characterize round 70 per cent of the retirement dwelling market.

A McCarthy Stone spokesperson mentioned there's a “important scarcity” of bungalows.

The spokesperson mentioned: “It’s clear that the housing market should do extra for this demographic. Prioritising the development of bungalows isn’t nearly assembly demand; it’s about enabling older individuals to dwell independently, keep related to their communities, and unencumber bigger household properties for youthful generations.

“At McCarthy Stone, we're more and more including bungalows to our improvement portfolio. We at present have 15 bungalow developments comprising 300 models throughout the nation which can be both bought out or promoting now, and with extra websites coming quickly.”