The government's commitment to helping older people and other vulnerable adults maintain their independence was given a boost on Thursday with the announcement of funding for 1,420 extra care home places.

Government Response: Department of Health

Stephen Ladyman, health minister, said: "Most older people want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. If they can't stay in their own homes for whatever reason, then they do not want to trade independence for dependence. What they want is to have control over their lives.

"Extra care housing offers another choice to the individual; a choice based on security, rights and control. A private home with your own front door but all the support you might expect in a residential home.

"But it must be more than a housing solution - it must be a community solution which requires the full commitment of housing, health and social care agencies. This desire to offer quality and choice in housing for older people is reflected in the successful bids announced today.

"The government's vision is to improve the range of health, social care and housing choices available to older people. I believe extra care housing will have a hugely important role in making that choice a reality for many older people."

Forum Response: Counsel and Care

Martin Green, chief executive of Counsel and Care, told ePolitix.com: "We welcome the announcement of more money for supported housing schemes and undoubtedly this will help to ensure more people will remain independent for longer.

"However, what is also needed is a review of the regulatory framework and this needs to ensure regulation is better co-ordinated and more focussed on the quality of life for residents"

Forum Response: The Salvation Army

Jonathan Lomax, public affairs officer for the Salvation Army, told ePolitix.com: "The Salvation Army supports efforts to enable older people to lead independent lives for as long as possible.

"The benefits are numerous and the vast majority of older people express a desire to stay in their own homes for as long as they can manage.

"The Responsibility Gap, a substantial report commissioned by the Salvation Army from the Henley Centre and published last month, showed that 21 per cent of people agreed with the statement 'I don't want to have to care for my relatives when they get old'.

"Society and forms of community have changed and it is good to see that the government has recognised this and is offering extra help to those who want to go on living independently.

"The report also showed that too often in the past service provision has been fragmented with different agencies, both statutory and voluntary, failing to co-ordinate effectively. The Salvation Army is encouraged, therefore, to see that the new extra care housing will offer an holistic approach to support by utilising a multi-agency strategy."

Forum Response: ARP/O50

Don Steele, director of social policy for ARP/O50, told ePolitix.com: "The Association of Retired and Persons Over 50 has given a warm welcome to the government's announcement that it is to support the creation of 'extra care' housing units in various parts of the UK.

"Housing of this kind has existed in several parts of Europe and the United States for many years but as is so often the case in this country, it is a crisis which has at last brought the government to a realization that the unfulfilled promises around the concept of 'community care' and the challenge of 'bed blocking' can be dealt with in a way which is both sensible and cost effective".

"While giving full support to this initiative the fact must not be missed that for to many older people the prospect of isolated dependency in their later years remains real and pilot schemes of this nature however commendable, will have little impact unless they are underpinned by political will and determination to deal once and for all with the inadequate, and regrettably, in some places, shameful services now provided to the dependent elderly in our society."