North Norfolk Profile

Population

The total population (2008) of North Norfolk is 101,500 (ons), of which 27.38% is over 65 and with a further 23.64% aged between 50 and 64. Over the next 10 years the projected percentage of older people (65+) as a proportion of the total population is expected to increase significantly to 34.61%.

The main population centres in North Norfolk are Cromer, Sheringham, Holt, North Walsham and Fakenham, with a distribution of housing around many coastal villages.

Transport networks around the coast and into major population centres and the regional capital are good, although links between rural villages are infrequent where they exist.

Housing

The bulk of housing stock is owner occupied, with 26% in the private or public rented sector. This is in line with average for the County except in Fakenham where home ownership levels are slightly lower. Victory Housing Trust is the largest single provider of public sector stock in the district, including sheltered housing.

The coastal towns of Sheringham and Cromer are popular retirement destinations along with coastal villages, with properties that cater for this market. This has helped to increase the proportion of older people in the population and is largely responsible for the district having one of the highest growth rates of older people in the country.

Within the total housing stock of some 46,000 homes it is estimated that there are 16,182 homes occupied solely by older people, the majority of which, in line with the area as a whole, are owner occupiers. Of these households it is estimated that 5,492 don’t reach the decent homes standard, 2,845 are living with serious household hazards that could cause falls or injury, and 2,187 households are classified as being in fuel poverty.

In 2008 there were 2271 applicants on the housing waiting list of which 245 were aged between 60 and 74; 157 were between 75 and 79, and 232 were over 80.

9.7% of the applicants were asking for sheltered housing, which is lower than other districts and may reflect the fact that a large proportion of the population of older people moved into retirement homes suitable for the majority of their needs or have the funds available to move when needed.

It is unclear how many of those applicants awaiting sheltered housing would be willing to remain in their own homes with support, advice and adaptations where needed. Whilst the demand for sheltered appears lower than in other districts, there is insufficient public sector supply to meet it.

Social Care

Adult Social Services have contact with 13,068 clients aged over 65 in the district.

Whilst a significant proportion of this support is provided through Social Services, it is estimated that there are over 3,227 people over the age of 65 currently providing unpaid care services to their family and friends and that this is predicted to rise to nearly 4,780 aged carers by 2030.

Clients are accessing a range of services, but the majority are accessing equipment and professional services. A slightly higher proportion is accessing direct payments than other districts. Equipment will be provided through OT services and Disabled Facilities Grant funding, which in North Norfolk for 2009/10 totalled £1,200,000 - higher than any other district in the county.

Health

Whilst the levels of deprivation in North Norfolk are lower than the averages for England, the incidence of obesity and diabetes in adults is higher. In general, life expectancy for men, early death rates from stroke, heart disease and cancer, and figures for hip fractures in people aged over 65 are all better than averages for England and women have life expectancy in line with the national average.

Projections for people with dementia, health limitations through strokes and limiting long term illness all indicate increases to 2030, growing in line with increases in the older population.

Community Health Services are being provided through GP practices based at Sheringham, Cromer and Aldborough; Birchwood and Paston in North Walsham, and Stalham, Staithe, Ludham and Mundesley. NHS Norfolk has been undertaking some outreach from surgeries in North Norfolk.

Income and Benefits

In 2008 of the estimated 32,633 people over 60 in North Norfolk, 31,019 were claiming government pensions. Of the total, 24.5% were in receipt of pension tax credits indicating poorer households, whilst 36.88% were recorded as being ‘affluent greys’ by ACORN segmentation, amongst the highest proportion in the county. This may be a reflection of the number of people choosing to retire to this area, bringing capital with them.

Claimants of Attendance Allowance in older people’s households in 2008 stood at 4,390, of which 1,955 were at the lower rate and 2,435 at the higher rate, indicating high levels of personal care requirements.

Sheltered, Residential, Nursing Home and Housing with Care

North Norfolk has 589 Supporting People funded units of sheltered housing on 24 schemes belonging to 5 different providers and 70 units of housing with care, provided by Norfolk County Council.

The number of units per 1000 population and the number of units per 1000 of the population aged 65+ are relatively lower than the average for the County. This difference is more marked in the number of units relative to the proportion of older people.

Some existing sheltered housing schemes in the district do not meet the standards that applicants expect or that providers wish to offer.

The bulk of sheltered stock is fairly well distributed around the district with the most public sector units in North Walsham, though there are schemes in Blakeney, Briston, Cromer, Fakenham, Holt, Horning, Ludham, Mundesley, Sheringham, Stalham, Trunch and Wells.

Schemes in Sheringham, Cromer, Ludham and North Walsham have opportunities to work with GP Community Health Hubs.

There is a lower than average care home provision in the Fakenham area. There is a projected surplus of 53 long stay care home places, against projected deficits of 80 housing with care places, 8 care home places with nursing and 84 dementia care homes places with or without nursing.

There is a higher than average level of care home provision in the North Walsham area, where there is a projected surplus of 128 long stay care home places and 67 care home places with nursing, against projected deficits of 105 housing with care places, 47 short stay care places and 88 dementia care homes places with or without nursing.

People from the Holt area use care homes in Fakenham and North Walsham but there is a projected surplus of 17 long stay care home places, against projected deficits of 48 housing with care places, 29 short stay care places, 65 care home places with nursing and 126 dementia care homes places with or without nursing

Current Supporting People Funding

Total possible spending by Supporting People for supported housing in North Norfolk is as follows:

Sheltered Housing - £366,084 allocated between 589 units
Housing with Care - £69,160 allocated between 70 units

In addition there is some funding of alarm units in the district in supported schemes. Overall the alarm funding in this district is low in comparison to other districts.

Housing Support Priorities for North Norfolk

The majority of older people live in homes they own and they have told us that maintenance, security and affordability are major issues and what often drives them to seek sheltered housing, so it would be appropriate to target support to these areas and allow people to choose to remain living independently if they wish. As the district has the fewest number of applications for sheltered housing in the county, the expectation must be that many of these older people will wish to remain living independently.

The density of housing stock and older people in Cromer, Sheringham, Fakenham and North Walsham combined with GP hubs in these areas suggest that they would be good bases for out reach services. In addition an outreach service from Fakenham could extend into Breckland and rural areas of the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk district, whilst schemes in Great Yarmouth at Marsham and Aylsham in Broadland could extend services into North Norfolk.

The income profile of older people in North Norfolk suggests that many may be able to afford to purchase necessary services, provided they are helped to access them.

The bulk of Social Services clients in the area are accessing equipment (aids to living) and professional support, higher than in other districts and there is a slightly higher uptake of direct payments. With North Norfolk District Council spending on Disabled Facilities Grant the highest in the county, it is likely that housing support would need to work closely with home improvement and community health, empowering clients to access aids and adaptations appropriate to their needs, through Disabled Facilities Grants or self funding and combine this with contracting for domestic care and support services purchased with personalised budgets, eligible benefits or self funding.

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