More Safe and Affordable Housing Needed for Older People

Christchurch Methodist Mission Executive Director Jill Hawkey told RNZ's Checkpoint programme some seniors are finding themselves homeless, amidst the shortage of affordable and secure social housing, and others are left with little money for food and medicine after paying rent.

Data from the Ministry of Social Development shows that over 55s are the largest demographic on the social housing waitlist, and the number of over 65s on the waitlist has climbed 34 percent in four years.

Hawkey told Checkpoint that New Zealand was going to have a problem if it did not invest in suitable housing for older people now.

"Within 20 years, the number of older renters that's over 65 years of age, is going to triple. "At the moment we've got about 138,000 renters aged over 65, and that's going to be 400,000 renters over the next 25 years, so if we don't start doing something about it now, we're going to find ourselves in serious trouble."

Click here to listen to the interview