ARCO

The Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO) is the main body representing the Retirement Community sector in the UK.

Retirement Communities combine high quality housing options for older people with tailored support services. They allow residents to rent or own a property and to maintain their privacy and independence, with the reassurance of 24-hour on-site staff, communal facilities, and optional care and support as needed.

ARCO’s members use long term business models that go beyond traditional housebuilding, creating operational businesses and schemes that provide housing, care, hospitality and wellbeing services for our ageing population.

ARCO continually strives to:

Promote confidence in the sector, ensuring that all members are providing a high quality service to their residents. To this end, all ARCO-registered schemes have to adhere to the standards laid out in ARCO’s Standards and Compliance Framework.

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.

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.