Top Takeaways from Housing LIN’s Annual Conference
Associate Director April Marsden reflects on her main takeaways from the recent Housing LIN Annual Conference 2025 in Leeds.
It was a fantastic event packed with insights for anyone working in the older persons housing sector. It really got me thinking about how we can better create age-friendly homes and connected communities. With our population getting older, it’s more important than ever to design and manage housing that helps people stay safe, healthy, and independent.
Here are my top three takeaways from the conference:
The Building Safety Act
The Building Safety Act is a big deal for the housing sector, especially for homes designed for older people. The act focuses on improving safety and accountability, which is crucial when caring for vulnerable residents.
While this brings new responsibilities, it’s also a chance to improve how we design and manage housing. By working to higher standards, we can reduce risks and build trust with residents and regulators alike.
Joining Forces: Housing, Health, and Care Must Work Together
A standout message from the conference was how vital it is for housing, healthcare, and social care to work hand-in-hand. As more people live with long-term health conditions, we need homes that actively support their wellbeing.
By designing accessible homes with features like assistive tech and easy access to healthcare, we can help older people stay independent for longer. And when housing providers, healthcare teams, and care services collaborate, it creates smoother support networks that improve outcomes for residents while easing pressure on hospitals and care systems.
Listening to Older People: Understanding Their Housing Preferences
The conference also reminded me how important it is to really listen to older people when designing homes and communities. Many want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, but to make that work, we need to involve them in the conversation from the start.
Too often, decisions are made without consulting the people those decisions affect most. Engaging directly with older residents through focus groups, and open discussions helps ensure their voices are heard. This way, we can create homes that reflect their preferences—whether that’s about layout, location, or community connections.
The Housing LIN Conference was a great opportunity to reflect on how we can better meet the needs of our ageing population. By focusing on safety, collaboration, and meaningful engagement, we can create homes and communities that are inclusive, connected, and ready for the future.