The BPF was commenting on a report from the government from the Older People's Housing Taskforce.

A key finding in this report is that up to 50,000 new later living homes are needed per annum over the coming years to accommodate the ageing population, but only 7,000 are currently being built a year.

The report also found around 0.6% of those aged 75 and over live in housing with care, a tenth of the proportion in more mature markets such as the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Highlighting the amenities needed in such housing, the taskforce found only 12% of older people had level access at the entrance of their building and fewer than 50% have a bathroom on the entry level of their home.

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The BPF has previously emphasised that national and local planning systems must enable greater volumes of age-appropriate housing.

Now, the trade body is renewing these calls and urging the government to establish a new long-term strategy that makes better use of housing stock and reduces pressure on health and social care services.

Theo Plowman, assistant director of policy at the BPF, commented: “The government must seize this moment to act decisively.”

"This report provides a roadmap to addressing the longstanding challenges, but its success depends on structures that translate ambition into delivery.

“The opportunity to make transformational change for older people is here and must be treated with the same ambition within the government's housing strategy.”