Integrated Retirement Communities are finally arriving in the mainstream, with record interest from customers, investors and – crucially – policy makers: ARCO’s campaign for a task force for our sector has finally been successful, and ARCO’s What Next? Conference will continue its tradition of introducing attendees to new ideas, concepts and trends that are likely to shape the future trajectory and debate for years to come.

Simply put, it’s from the sector, for the sector, and the largest networking event for anyone working or interested in Integrated Retirement Communities – we look forward to seeing everyone again in July.

The conference will run over two days and will be held once again at the stunning IET London: Savoy Place on the London Embankment, with The Knowledge Exchange workshop day taking place at the city offices of Trowers & Hamlins LLP.

EARLY BIRD PRIORITY BOOKING is now open to ARCO Members, Accelerators, Partners and Affiliates.

General booking opening to the wider sector from 21 March 2022.

We are hoping to operate without Covid restrictions this year and will be able to increase our capacity in the venue to be able to accommodate all those colleagues who were on our waiting list in 2021 but unable to attend.

Some of the main topics for debate this year at our 6th Annual Conference will include:
Do customers want what they need, and need what they want?
As the IRC sector evolves and matures, so must its customer proposition. Do customers know what they want, and do they want what they need? And how do operators manage the delicate balance between creating a ‘pull’ and catering for the forces that ‘push’? What’s the smart approach to balancing marketable lifestyle factors, with more difficult conversations about age related factors that ultimately make people consider IRC’s.

The Policy accelerator
The announcement of the Task Force for older people’s housing is likely to promote the growth of housing with care for older people. Hear directly from members of the Task Force, Ministers and key experts on what the next 12 months have in store for planning, tenure models and the customer proposition as well as the profound impact it will likely have on the IRC sector.

Demographics determine our destination
Britain has always been an ethnically diverse, but the most pronounced changes occurred post 1945 where increased immigration from Europe and the Commonwealth became formal Government Policy post WW2. Today individuals with a minority ethnic background make up 14% of the overall population in the United Kingdom, and 20 percent of those aged 24 and below. How can the IRC sector better provide for this diversity, cater for other minority groups and itself better reflect today’s reality?

Expanding the Contract
The leasehold system is currently undergoing fundamental reform. Hear from legal experts on how alternative tenure models – siting between rental and leasehold – will redefine the relationship between operators and customers and shape the future trajectory of our sector.

The mid-market target
The Task Force for our sector was announced in the Levelling Up White Paper with the clear objective of addressing the uneven distribution of IRCs across the UK. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the middle market. What Next 2022 will examine how we can cater for the large numbers of older people unable to access either affordable IRCs or high end provision.

This a 2 day event.