Truro and Falmouth MP Sarah Newton this week joined a panel of experts and campaigners, including television presenter Esther Rantzen, to make the case for building more homes designed with older people in mind.

Mrs Newton was a speaker a Conservative Party Conference event hosted by the think tank Demos, entitled ‘‘The top of the ladder: How to build more homes for older people’’.

The event saw the launch of a Demos report looking at the social and economic benefits of building more housing for older people, with the audience being addressed by the report’s author, Claudia Wood.

Mrs Newton then gave a speech stressing the difference that homes built around the needs of older people could have upon the lives of thousands, providing security, comfort and ensuring mental and physical wellbeing.

Other speakers included Ms Rantzen and the housing campaigner Andrew Burgess.

Mrs Newton said: “Many older people currently live in homes that are not suitable for them, and are keen to downsize. However such downsizing is only possible when sufficient smaller and safer properties are available.

“I was pleased to join campaigners in raising awareness of this issue, of the crucial importance of ensuring that UK has enough housing stock built with older people in mind, and look forward to continuing to work with colleagues as to how the Government can best encourage and support house builders to deliver this.’’

The Demos Report on housing built for older people can be found at www.demos.co.uk/publications/topoftheladder