Comment: Resurging charity housing is not something to be celebrated Published on: 25 November 2019 Writing for The Conversation, Victor Harlow and Michael Price argue that a resurgent need for almshouses can be seen as a symptom of a bigger problem. , , and , At first glance, are an anachronism, often dainty, charming cottages placed nonchalantly among the bustle of modern cities. The vast majority are registered charities that provide accommodation to older adults at discounted rates, but some also provide free accommodation with additional services, allowances and gifts. Almshouses are a historic institution, having existed in England and Wales since the 10th century, but are now experiencing what the Times has described as a 鈥溾��. Other newspapers have almshouses as 鈥渢he solution to ageing Britain鈥�. They highlight that over the last two years, new almshouses have either been built, bought, or are currently under construction. Today, 1,600 almshouse charities support residents. An article in reported almshouses as providing a proven model for both social policy and effective philanthropy. Counterintuitively, almshouses are presented as a modern progressive solution; a radical approach to tackling issues of social isolation and the marginalisation of an ageing society. The article calls on housing developers to provide 鈥渁lmshouse-style鈥� accommodation in new developments. The almshouse resurgence is filling a gap in provision but it鈥檚 worth considering why such a gap exists. The need for almshouses are, after all, the symptom of a bigger problem. One reason for their establishment in the middle ages was a lack of alternative welfare provision; they prevented poor older people from falling into vagrancy. Almshouses, as many charities are, are products of necessity and the consequence of inequality. Charities are not solutions to problems: they are red flags that something is systemically wrong. Illustration of Rochford Almshouses in Essex, 1787. Red flags The ONS estimates that the proportion of people aged over 85 in the UK is expected to over the next 25 years, putting enormous strain on health and social care systems. Coupled with this, income and health inequalities are becoming more acute, while services and support for older people, often poorly funded by the public purse, have faced significant financial constraints. Inequalities tend to compound over time, the effects of cumulative disadvantage over the life course taking their toll in terms of , and . As a result, is rife in later life. Read more: In the UK, the top 20% of people aged between 66 and 85 have a household income of . At the very bottom of society, many older people are falling through the safety net of state provision. Federated charities such as , and philanthropic networks such as the , are able to provide research, funding and support on a national scale but are subject to significant pressures. The almshouse resurgence is filling a . But while this is commendable, it鈥檚 not clear if they are the answer. Almshouses have offered respite out of necessity for ten centuries: they are less of a panacea and more symbolic of a lack of attention to vulnerability in older people. Selective protocol were originally established by local landowners or clergy to provide respite for ageing churchmen. Admittance later expanded to embrace pious individuals who shared the faith, or other beliefs of the philanthropist, or who happened to live on the estate, in the parish, of a benevolent philanthropist. Today, they still bear the marks of these origins, with trustees obliged to fulfil the wishes of the benefactor, no matter how incompatible with modern Britain. The eligibility criteria for entry to almshouses are often laid out in the deed of trust of each individual almshouse as stipulated in will of the benefactor. Although over time many of these requirements have been reformed by trustees, some still skirt on the edge of discrimination. A document connected with the foundation of Henry VII鈥檚 almshouses at Westminster. Trustees make the decisions regarding who can or cannot not obtain access to reduced rents. Crucially, these decisions are not always based on need. They may be based of variety of other factors, such as the of applicants, whether they reside in , or even whether they are of 鈥溾��. Until the late 1970s, for example, the provided accommodation solely for widows of Freemen of the Weavers. Such old-fashioned requirements are becoming increasingly rare, as trustees use their discretion when filtering applications. But almshouses still reserve the right to be selective; the state does not. The reason for the longevity of many almshouses is intimately tied to their . Often relying on ancient endowments, almshouses are subject to strict financial schemes which have been highly resilient to economic change. In many cases the objective was to ensure the wishes of the benefactor were carried out in perpetuity. Such endowments are incredible assets that the overwhelming majority of charities are, sadly, unable to rely on. A 2018 City Metric alluded to the problem that this historic model of funding creates. Until recently, almshouses were often established on the basis of conditional philanthropy to the deserving poor. This is an idea that is quite simply incompatible with modern Britain 鈥� even with the best of intentions, boards of trustees, who often suffer from a , are not best placed to make such universally important decisions. Read more: The future In the absence of large scale benefactions, the kind of which took place hundreds of years ago, new financial models need to develop. Unlike France and Canada, the UK to support the development of the social innovations that are required to meet the challenges of later life. But there is a great deal of potential for shared cooperative finance, such as that being developed by the coop , (which Michael co-founded) to fund innovative and socially connected housing. InvestAge wants to see a world where people can live with greater autonomy in later life. After all, creating a better old age for all is in everybody鈥檚 best interest. The burgeoning number of almshouses are a broader reflection of the state鈥檚 failure to look after some of the most elderly and vulnerable people in society. Innovative new solutions are urgently needed. , Senior Research Fellow, and , PhD Candidate in Education History, This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the . 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