Cohousing Demand Rises Amid Loneliness Crisis

Co-housing is gaining momentum in the UK as loneliness, housing pressure and rising care needs push more people towards shared residential models. At Berry Park in Devon, retired couple Nikki Little and John Porter chose not to buy a bungalow for themselves, instead investing in a £1m house and building a community now home to 19 residents aged between four and 70.

The model sits between private ownership and communal living. Residents live in owned or rented accommodation clustered around shared facilities such as gardens, dining areas, allotments and utility spaces. At Berry Park, households have separate kitchens and bathrooms, contribute to chores and share bills, with adults paying £115 a month towards common costs.

Demand is rising. There are now more than 120 co-housing developments either completed or in development, with nearly 2,000 names on a national waiting list. Berry Park receives weekly inquiries from people considering the move, while landowners are increasingly bringing forward sites for possible schemes.

The appeal is partly social, but also structural. Office for National Statistics data shows 8.6 million people, or 30% of UK households, were living alone in 2025, with almost half aged 65 or over. For older residents without family support, co-housing offers a way to combine independence with daily human contact and informal care.

The property challenge is finance. Groups often struggle to secure funding, although specialist mortgage products and government support for community-led homes are beginning to emerge. Co-housing will not suit everyone, but its rise points to a housing market under pressure to solve more than affordability. Increasingly, homes are being judged not only by square footage, but by whether they can help people live less alone.