Charities such as Help the Aged and Age Concern have welcomed the move, but the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has voiced its concern that such a move would place further affordability pressures on young buyers and that there had been no consultation with the building industry on the plans.
The government will implement a 16-point checklist on new homes to include such features as wide staircases, downstairs bathrooms and ample room for wheelchairs.
If house builders do not implement these features as standard, the government will make them compulsory by 2013.
Predictions suggest the number of households could grow by 2.5 million in the next 20 years, half of which will be accounted for by older people.
Speaking on BBC Radio Four, Stewart Baseley, chairman of the HBF, said: “It goes to the heart of affordability and we have a huge need in this country for housing.
"A lot of the things being talked about apply a one-size fits all solution in a way that will add cost to the home. It’s unclear to me who is going to pay for this.”
Andy Frankish, managing director of Mortgage Talk, commented: “The government has to bring out these things, but it has got to remember it is putting a lot of pressure on developers. Land prices aren’t going to change and that will go onto house prices and won’t help affordability.
"The government has got to be realistic. It’s also not helping cut red tape on planning permission, as a lot of restraints are put on developers and they are caught in a vicious circle.”
