With 38% of homeowners stating they would prefer to relocate to a bungalow the next time they moved home, the shortage of this property type has become a major issue for older homeowners.
The survey by consumer group HomeOwners Alliance found that 1.2 million older households had paused their plans to move in the last two years, equal to one in seven homeowners in the 55 and older age group.
Some 41% of this cohort of households said their decision to stay put was down to the stress of moving, up from 35% of all homeowners.
Meanwhile 34% said it was a lack of suitable homes to move to that has stalled their plans. This compared to 27% of homeowners overall.
Furthermore, almost a quarter of over 55-year-olds said they’d put off their plans to move because they didn’t want to leave friends and neighbours.
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The shortage of bungalows, says the consumer group, is making the issue of a lack of suitable properties to downsize to worse.
According to data from National House Building Council (NHBC), bungalows made up 11% of new homes in 1990, but just 1% in 2024.
Paula Higgins, chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, said: “Our research shows that too many older homeowners feel stuck in homes that no longer work for them but struggle to find an appropriate alternative. There is a huge demand for bungalows but hardly any get built anymore.
“With the UK’s rapidly aging population, we hope the government’s long-promised housing strategy looks at a better range of retirement housing, including single-storey solutions.”
