Planning for Longevity: How the 2026 NPPF Can Support Age-Friendly Places

Living longer is changing more than just our healthcare needs. It is also changing what we need from our homes, neighbourhoods and communities.

This is where the 2026 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has an important role to play. As England’s population ages, planning needs to look beyond simply building more homes and consider whether those homes and the places around them will support people throughout their lives.

The new NPPF places greater emphasis on meeting the needs of different groups, including older and disabled people. It supports a wider mix of housing and stronger provision for accessible and adaptable homes, alongside specialist accommodation for older people.

But age-friendly planning is about more than accessible doorways or the number of bedrooms in a home. It is about creating places where people can get around easily, reach local shops and services, access public transport, spend time outdoors and stay connected to their communities.

That makes the NPPF particularly relevant to this year’s theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.” If we are going to live longer, we need to think differently about the places we live in too.

Good planning can help create homes and neighbourhoods that adapt as people’s circumstances change, supporting independence, health and social connection for longer. In that sense, planning is not simply about where we build; it is about creating the conditions for people to live well throughout a longer life.

National Planning Policy Framework – GOV.UK