Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many properties have been completed through the Older Person’s Shared Ownership scheme over the last five financial years; and what steps his Department is taking to increase uptake of that scheme.​

This Government is committed to increasing the supply of specialist housing for older people and improving the diversity and quality of accommodation available so that they can choose the best housing option for them in the place they want to live.

That is why we are launching a new task force on the issue of older people’s housing which will look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people and support the growth of a thriving older people’s housing sector in this country.

The Older Person’s Shared Ownership (OPSO) scheme is a Shared Ownership scheme intended for specific groups of properties developed for people aged 55 and over. It is the same as the standard Shared Ownership scheme, but applicants can only purchase up to 75% of a home’s equity, with no rent charged on the remaining 25%. Over the last five years, a total of 1,238 homes have been delivered by Homes England through the OPSO scheme.

As with all forms of housing offered through government schemes, including the Affordable Homes Programme, OPSO’s availability is contingent on the engagement of Registered Providers of Social Housing (RPs). As independent organisations, RPs are free to make their own commercial decisions as to the types of housing schemes they engage with.