Homeless in all but name

In ALONE, all of our services focus on supporting older people to age at home. However, in recent times, the number one issue that people have been presented with is housing. Whether they are homeless, living in emergency accommodation, living in unsuitable or unsafe conditions – housing is a critical issue for the people that we work with.

We are asking the government to plan effectively for the housing needs of our ageing population and designate a portion of all social housing units for use by older people. As a nation, we need to do better by our older people.

Please sign our petition to ask the government to designate a portion of all social housing units for use by older people.

The Facts:

• 50% of the calls we received in 2014 were related to homelessness or housing
• We saw a 90% increase in the number of older people coming to us in need of housing last year, that figure continues to rise
• The private rental market is not suitable for older people as the majority will need some level of support as they age
• If an older person becomes homeless they have little or no chance of securing accommodation in the private rented sector
• The government has no strategy or plan in place to deal with the housing crisis for older people

We need to have a system that supports older people and allows them to pay a fair rent for accommodation that is suitable to their needs. We are failing any older person who is living in shared emergency accommodation, or who can only afford a third floor apartment despite their mobility difficulties. These are not isolated occurrences and we need to act now.

Please support our campaign and ask your family and friends to do so too.