Breaking down digital barriers for older private renters
Campaigns Officer Josh Murray explores how we must prevent older renters from facing discrimination and digital exclusion in the Renters Reform Bill
Living in a home which is unaffordable and insecure is a worry that more and more older people are facing. With more than 400,000 privately rented households in England with someone aged over 65 living there, good quality and affordable housing in later life is increasingly difficult to find and maintain in the private rental market. For many, that’s because of the barriers renters can face. We know renters can be evicted for no reason and can face informal discrimination if they receive income top-ups, such as older people who receive Pension Credit — this is known as ‘No DSS’ discrimination.
At Independent Age, we’re working to try and make sure these barriers are removed, so that everyone can have a stable home they love in later life.
Right now, the UK Government is trying to pass the Renters Reform Bill in Parliament, which is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve renting in England. While we continue to campaign for the Government to bring forward legalisation on ending no-fault evictions and ‘No DSS’ discrimination, we are working on how to strengthen the Bill.
The UK Government has announced a new online portal for tenants and landlords to access information about the properties they may want to live in. At Independent Age, our concern is whether this information will be accessible to everyone, both online and offline. We want to make sure there’s a level playing field for older renters who are offline.
While many older people are confident online, we also know that there are some who choose to be offline and others who don’t feel as confident using technology.
We’re worried about the older people who are digitally excluded as a result of high costs. We’ve heard from people in later life living on a low income who felt forced to disconnect from the online world as a result of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. As a result, their ability to access information and services is limited. In this case, we believe digital exclusion could lead to a housing exclusion issue which is why we’re calling for change.
Our research shows that in Britain, 48% of people aged 65 or over have struggled to pay their broadband bills in the last six months. We know that many older people are also cutting back on essentials to cover these costs.
In April 2023, 15% of renters aged 65 and over in Britain told us they had cancelled their internet or phone services to save money.
Older people have shared with us that they have cancelled their broadband to save money or are considering doing so. In our report on the impact of high household costs, we heard from older people like Jeff who told us his broadband would be the first to go if he had to choose between heating, water and broadband. These decisions are made by older people facing financial hardship every day.
“If we became totally unable to pay our bills, we would have no choice but to cancel the least necessary service, i.e. broadband.” Jeff, 70
While we know that some older people in poverty are cutting back on broadband, many services are being offered online without other means of access available.
The needs and experiences of the older people we hear from living in financial hardship must be front and centre when considering how important services are designed and delivered.
For older private renters, disconnecting from the internet could mean they aren’t able to access vital information about the property standards of the home they live in, or what their options are if they’re considering moving.
We’re working hard behind the scenes, talking to civil servants, MPs and Ministers to ensure that this will be the case. In time, we hope to give you an update about how you can continue to help us ensure that all older people can access vital information about housing.
If you haven’t already, you can find out more about our campaign activity by joining our Campaigns Network, where you’ll receive regular email updates about our work and opportunities to get involved. Every action — big or small — helps us have an impact.
If you have an experience to share about renting privately, or want to find out more information about our work, you can email us by contacting campaigns@independentage.org
PS: If you need any help, we are here for you.
Email helpline@independentage.org or head to our website if you need any support. You can give our Helpline team a call for freeon 0800 319 6789.
