Will London's Older Residents Have Somewhere to Live with Dignity?

The London Assembly's Housing Committee held a scrutiny session on 22 October 2026 exploring whether London's homes are fit for an ageing population. The inquiry was prompted by stark demographic projections: there are currently 1.05 million Londoners aged 65 and over, and by 2050 the number of Londoners aged 80 or more is projected to grow by a further 336,000. Most older people continue to live in mainstream housing, yet much of London's housing stock was not designed with later life in mind. The committee examined how well existing homes meet older residents' needs, the challenges of adapting them for independent living, and whether sufficient specialist or supported housing is being built. Expert panellists from the Centre for Ageing Better, Independent Age, City University of London, housing association Anchor and industry body ARCO gave evidence. The committee is expected to publish recommendations to the Mayor and to borough councils on planning for specialist later-life housing in coming months.