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<p>The Government recognises that the provision of high quality,impartial, information
and advice in England is an important service which older people, and their relatives
and carers should have access to in order to make informed choices. The Department
of Health and Social Care has set out that one of the key principles that will guide
thinking ahead of the Social Care Green Paper is control. This involves ensuring that
individuals and families have the ability to direct the support they receive, the
autonomy to lead the lives they want, and access to reliable information.</p><p>On
28 March, we announced our plans to implement the majority of the Law Commission’s
recommendations to reform event fees in leasehold retirement properties. One of the
key requirements of these recommendations is a statutorily backed requirement to ensure
consumers have the necessary information to make an informed choice when purchasing
their retirement property.( <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-03-28/HCWS1466"
target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-03-28/HCWS1466</a>)</p><p>My
Department published the revised National Planning Policy Framework in July 2018 and
this specifies that local planning authorities are expected to have planning policies
which identify the size, type and tenure of homes needed for different groups in the
community including older people. We will shortly be publishing further guidance to
help councils put these policies in place. My Department, together with Department
of Health and Social Care, also grant funds new supply of supported housing (with
34,000 new units delivered since 2011) including for older vulnerable people. With
our announcement last year that funding for housing costs for supported accommodation
would continue to be paid through Housing Benefit, we are putting in place the right
funding and oversight environment which will give confidence to investors and to the
sector, to continue to develop new supply of supported housing.</p>
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