ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators)

Who we are

The Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO) is the trade association representing providers of retirement communities in the UK. ARCO was founded in September 2012, currently has 31 members, and represents approximately 50% of all housing-with-care schemes in the sector and includes both private and not-for-profit providers.

Our vision and aims

ARCO work to ensure that older people have the option to live in high quality supported housing in their later years, which enables them to live independent and socially connected lives. As well as being good for older people and their families, this form of housing benefits our public services, frees up homes for all generations, and helps boost our economy.

Our vision is that by 2030, 5% of older people will live in a retirement community (a level seen in other countries with a more mature market for this type of provision), which will require a ten-fold expansion of the sector. In order to achieve this, ARCO works to:

• Raise awareness of the retirement community model amongst older people and stakeholders alike – ensuring that all older people are aware of the variety of housing options available to them, and that policy makers fully understand the ways in which this type of housing provision can meet the lifestyle, health, and social care needs of our ageing population.
• Promote confidence in the sector, ensuring that all members are providing a high quality service to their residents. To this end, all ARCO members have to adhere to ARCO’s Standards and Compliance Framework, centred on assessments against the ARCO Consumer Code.
• Increase the volume and quality of expertise within the sector and share this with members, continually investing in research to better understand and promote the socio-economic value of the housing-with-care model.