There are about 660,00 pensioner households. 58% are owners, 28% rent from councils, 6% from housing associations and 5% from a private landlord.
8% of single pensioner households (27,000) carried out repairs to their homes, compared to 19% (72,000) of younger adult households and 21% (66,000) of small family households.
Approximately 35% of property classified as below the tolerable standard is occupied by pensioner households, and around 20% of such property is occupied by single pensioner households.
( All above from 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey. Communities Scotland www.shcs.gov.uk)
Approximately, 55% of older owners have no mortgage (SHCS 2002), and in 2003 older homeowners had £64.5 billion of equity in their homes.
(Key Retirement Solutions, Independent Financial Advisers, Jan. 2004)
1201 pensioner households reported themselves to local authorities as homeless during 2003 to 2004.
(Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin HSG/2004/5. Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00363-31.asp
In 2004 public authorities and housing associations had:
13,110 amenity homes (16,569 less than in 2003)
32,758 sheltered homes (1398 less than in 2003)
2872 very sheltered homes (85 more than in 2003).
(Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin HSG/2005/4 www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/08/3085434/54520)
There were an estimated 6,273 private sheltered or retirement houses in 2004. (INNIS Retirement Housing Advice Service. Age Concern Scotland 2004)
Between 1991 and 2001 the number of people aged 85 and over who live alone increased by 46% (30,263 to 44,048).
(1991 Census of Scotland Report for Scotland Part1, Table 47 & 2001 Census of Scotland, Table S248)
Between 2003 and 2004 76,912 older people and 506 people with dementia received help to pay for housing support.
(Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin HSG/200F/2www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00411-06.asp)