A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Retirement Homesearch shows that 19% of UK over-50s believe it is ‘likely’ that they will spend their autumn years in a purpose-built retirement community. Yet such housing comprises just 2% of existing housing stock – meaning that a vast demand remains unfulfilled.

In the survey, 1,000 over-50s were asked first whether they were likely to move into a specialist retirement community, and then what factors were most important to them in deciding where to live in retirement.

If the results are taken as representative of the UK over-50s population, it would mean around 4.5m people competing for around 500,000 retirement homes.

Retirement Homesearch managing director, Nick Freeth, said: “We were looking to take a snapshot of changing priorities in choosing retirement living arrangements. The expectation is that a ‘new generation’ of retirees anticipate a more active retirement, that we are increasingly seeking entertainment and healthy activity over the community-centred life that so appealed to earlier retirees.