The SHAPE Exchange is a 5-year programme developed with the Housing LIN which will co-create age-friendly homes and places across the UK by bringing together partners from housing, health and social care, alongside older people and community organisations. The programme aligns with national priorities including the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, the NHS Neighbourhood Health Guidelines, and adult social care transformation.
Responding to a challenge
The SHAPE (Suitable Housing for our Ageing Population Evidence) Exchange responds directly to what older people tell us they want. New national research by IPSOS and Housing LIN shows that most people aged 50+ wish to stay in their own homes with the right adaptations and support, while others seek better mainstream housing options. Current housing supply, affordability and design standards do not consistently meet these aspirations.
The aim of the SHAPE Exchange is to inspire innovation and accelerate local delivery. It is built around four pillars:
Advisory and governance: Expert oversight ensuring credibility and impact.
Resources and evidence: A suite of practical tools and guidance.
Leadership development: Regional leadership support aligned with Housing LIN’s existing programmes.
SHAPE Exchange Labs: Real-world innovation testbeds co-designed with local partners.
The SHAPE Exchange Challenge Fund will invest at least £3 million across the four nations, funding several areas or ‘SHAPE sites’. With awards of up to £1 million per site over three years, funds can be used for revenue and limited capital costs.
The funding aims to address pressing issues affecting older people, their homes, and the places and communities around them. The fund’s aim is to enable local areas to explore solutions for sustained change scale and support the learning to shape policy, change practice and unlock further funding, including access to capital investment.
We are looking for ambitious place-based partnerships that can demonstrate how housing can be used as a lever to enable people to thrive in later life, in every postcode.
Successful proposals will:
- Have co-production at their core.
- Focus on practical implementation rather than further research.
- Improve health outcomes through housing and the wider community/neighbourhood.
- Build partnerships, taking a multi-disciplinary approach across housing, health, care and community sectors.
- Address health inequalities and ageism.
- Generate learning that can be shared nationally.
- Create effective leadership and ensure sustainable system change.
- Demonstrate ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ impact/value.
Deadline for applications will be 12th March 2027. For further information and details on how to apply, please visit our ‘Apply for funding’ page.