RURAL communities will struggle to support a booming older population, campaigners have warned.

The number of pensioners living in rural England will increase by nearly one million over the 10 years, forecasts the National Housing Federation.

The federation predicts the number of over 65s living in rural England will hit 3.23m by 2020 – a rise of 907,900 (39%) from 2008.

But communities would struggle to support the ageing population boom unless more affordable homes are built for families and younger people, it said.

The scenario reinforces fears that rural areas will struggle to attract the moderate earners needed to care for an ageing population.

Thousands of homes were needed for people who would help to keep open local schools, bus services, shops and pubs, said federation chief executive David Orr.

“The proportion of older people living in the countryside will rise dramatically over the next decade – bringing many benefits to rural communities but also a series of big challenges.

“As the older rural population booms, we must ensure that enough affordable homes are built for younger people on modest wages.”

More “pensioner friendly homes” would also need to be built where there was a clear demand for them, the federation said.

Pensioners would make up one in four of the rural population (24%) by 2020, as the proportion of older people in rural areas increased faster than in urban areas.

The research also reveals that one in three older people (32%) in rural areas will live alone by 2020, compared to the current level of one in four.

Many of these people could find themselves increasingly isolated if key rural services and amenities continued to disappear, said the federation.

Younger people would also be needed to help support the booming numbers of older people living in the countryside – in modestly paid jobs, such as health care workers.

“Rural local authorities must carry out assessments of housing need every three years and draw up action plans to deliver the homes required,” said Mr Orr.

“They also need to assess what housing and support services will be needed to serve the growing older population.”

A huge inward migration of wealthy commuters, second home owners and retired people had sent house prices soaring, Mr Orr said.

An average house was now £40,000 more expensive in the countryside than a house in a town and or city – even though wages were far lower.

The lack of affordable housing had fuelled the mass closures of rural shops, pubs and schools.

The federation, which represents England’s housing associations, estimates around 100,000 affordable rural homes must be built over the next 10 years.

There were now 750,000 people on waiting lists for rural social housing in England, it said.

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