We believe that the best solutions are yet to be discovered and the best outcomes yet to be delivered. That is why we prepare organisations for change and help them implement it. We do this through an intimate understanding of their business, a relentless focus on delivery, the use of techniques that challenge the status quo and bridge traditional disciplines. We provide a range of services to public and private organisations including project and programme management, property consultancy, change management and strategy development and strategic advice. Contact us to discuss a project.

If you’re a local authority or want to work with a local authority to deliver Independent Living (also often referred to as extra care or later living), download our new report here: Lessons Learnt: Independent Living Housing Programmes

• Defining Independent Living and why it’s needed
• Understanding the impact
• Invest-to-Save business cases
• Feedback on Independent Living Programmes
• Pro-active programme adaptation
• Our advice for councils.

Watch our London Festival of Architecture webinar

As part of the London Festival of Architecture 2021, we hosted a webinar on Independent Living housing.

In the wake of the pandemic, the theme chosen for this year’s festival was care. The programme of events explored how we can better care for ourselves, each other, our cities and the environment.

Here at Inner Circle we believe that one key aspect to achieving a more caring society is to provide beautifully- designed and well-considered Independent Living to ensure sufficient, suitable and appealing housing across all tenures for people as they age.

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Watch the webinar (or 7-minute speaker clips from it) to learn more:

• Tessa Gooding, Inner Circle Consulting – Watch: Why Independent Living is urgently needed and our three key insights on how councils can make it happen
• Gary Heathcote, Norfolk County Council – Watch: Norfolk County Council’s Independent Living Programme
• Deborah Hope, Housing 21 – Watch: How Covid has affected development and design
• Tim Riley, RCKa architects – Watch: Constrained town centre sites and Independent Living as a powerful tool for community cohesion and intergenerational wellbeing
• Tracy Jones, Housing 21 – Watch: The operational impacts of the pandemic and applying lessons learnt

Download our new Independent Living report
We recently spoke to a number of local authorities we’ve worked with to set up Independent Living Programmes for both older people and adults with disabilities. We wanted to learn about what’s worked and what hasn’t to develop some lessons for the future. Download the report here: Lessons Learnt: Independent Living Housing Programmes

We think it’s important to be open about the challenges that face Independent Living housing delivery, while stressing the significant demand and undersupply in the area. We also want to map out how the challenges can best be overcome by referring to good practice in local authorities to increase the quality and quantity of suitable Independent Living where it’s needed.

From conversations we’ve had, it’s clear there is a lack of sufficient desire from enough housing associations and other developer/providers to deliver this type of housing for various – often systemic –  reasons. A more interventionist approach is therefore required from local authorities in a number of ways (depending on the local context) to ensure need is met where the market is not delivering.

Homes England are looking at what more they can do to bring about more specialist housing. We think there is real merit in sharing our learning to influence developments in the sector to help increase the supply of Independent Living. Download the PDF to learn what you can do to bring about more suitable Independent Living at the right time and in the right places.

Want to partner with Inner Circle to deliver Independent Living? Contact: Senior Consultant, Tessa Gooding or Director, Chris Twigg.