Thank you to all that attended ARCO's What Next? 2024 Conference.
We were thrilled to welcome over 440 experts representing over 180 leading organisations from across the Housing-with-Care sector, to our 8th Annual Conference and Knowledge Exchange Day, and bring together once again, relevant, insightful and varied voices to this year's event.

On Wednesday 3 July, we were delighted to welcome and hear from 40 speakers and IRC residents that participated and shared their expertise in this year's sessions.

The Knowledge Exchange Day, on 4 July, offered the opportunity to delegates to attend and participate in a variety of workshops delivered by 17 expert speakers that addressed relevant and current issues for our sector.

We want to thank everyone that has supported and taken part on this event.

If you were unable to purchase tickets this year, you can now join our mailing list and receive communications when tickets go on sale for the 2025 ARCO Conference, by emailing [email protected]

It has come to our attention that an email is currently in circulation that appears to be offering a Registrants/Attendee list for the What Next? 2024 ARCO Annual Conference list for sale. This is a scam email and we urge you not to respond or click any link included.
At ARCO we take your data protection seriously and we assure you that we do not sell attendee lists for our annual conference. You can read our privacy policy here Privacy Policy | ARCO (arcouk.org).

A new government is expected to adopt a new approach to planning policy. As ARCO prepares to brief incoming Ministers, what should be the planning policy priorities for the IRC sector?

Iain Warner from Tetlow King and ARCO's James Lloyd discussed this how things could change with a renewed emphasis on increasing delivery of IRCs and the day to day planning implications.

The seniors housing concept was proven in New Zealand by first addressing the mid-market, and is now starting to address the premium market. The UK IRC market is seeing the inverse, the concept is being proven by the premium product, with the mid-market yet to be cracked. Despite this inversion, there are lessons to be learnt from the New Zealand market which we can adopt in the UK to aid the sector’s development. In particular, having a clear understanding of the metrics that feed into affordability and tailoring a product that meets that criteria. The Knight Frank research team delved deeper into the data.

By embracing holistic wellbeing strategies, leveraging advanced technology, and implementing personalised care plans, retirement living operators can significantly enhance the quality of life for their residents. This seminar provided actionable insights and practical tools to help your community thrive, ensuring that residents can age in place with dignity, independence, and fulfilment. Join us in taking these steps forward to create a brighter future for retirement living.

As the Building Safety Act 2022 regime comes fully into force, this workshop addressed the latest challenges in construction, building and fire safety for the IRC sector at the development and operational phases – and how IRC operators can ensure they are meeting the highest standards.

ARCO and leading IRC operators discussed the comprehensive regulations and high standards that IRCs must meet, [including consumer regulation, care and housing standards and more]. The also explored the challenges faced and share successful strategies to ensure excellence in integrated retirement living.

Equip yourself with essential best practice skills and techniques to optimise your occupancy rates and boost revenue. This workshop covers the critical two areas of generating quality leads and converting them efficiently. Ideal for operators and investors seeking improved sales rates and better IRR. How to enhance your approach, reduce stress, and achieve superior results from award-winning later living expert, Ali Powell from Commercial Acceleration.

In this workshop, legal and sustainability experts discussed the issues arising from decarbonisation, ESG, and energy regulation and supply in the IRC sector, including the experience of developing IVG’s Millfield Green net zero retirement community.

In the age of digital transformation, residents’ wellbeing is crucial. Wifinity, a managed internet service provider to Anchor, discovers how smarter connected technology can transform care delivery, empowering independent living. Our session covered operational solutions, scalable care models, and effective collaboration with managed service providers.

The concept of the nuclear family, with man, woman and 2.4 children, is increasingly outdated – there are rising numbers of people ageing without children, far more blended families where families are formed from children from previous relationships, and increasing numbers of LGBT+ relationships and families.

Coupled with the fact that we are living longer as a society, this means that there is a changing need for housing solutions that support those without families, and that this is only going to increase.

This workshop explored

- What does this group of people look like now, and what will they look like in the future?
- What will their needs and aspirations be, regarding their health, finances, wellbeing and community involvement?
- What are the opportunities for operators of retirement communities to support them?

With the challenges (and opportunities) of demographic change higher up the agenda in many Asian countries, the use of technology in health and care is more innovative than in the UK. This session looks at some of the trends and innovations coming out of these markets, and offered the opportunity for a discussion on whether we might see similar developments over here.

At our sold-out event last year, we were delighted to welcome over 440 experts representing over 170 leading organisations from across the
Housing-with-Care sector, and bring together once again relevant, insightful and varied voices to this event.
If you want see who attended last year's conference please follow this link.