Why ExtraCare? Retirement living built around people, not profit

Written by Hannah Makin

When people start looking at retirement villages, the options can feel very confusing very quickly. There are luxury developments, age restricted apartments, assisted living housing and everything in between. On the surface, many sound similar, but when you look a little deeper, the differences really matter.

And in this blog we’re looking into what makes The ExtraCare Charitable Trust different from other retirement village developers in the UK.

A charity first

One of the biggest differences between ExtraCare and other retirement village developers is that we’re a charity. Unlike profit driven developers, ExtraCare reinvests surplus back into our communities and services to support residents. We subsidise access to care, as well as delivering award winning dementia and wellbeing services to our residents that need it the most.

That charitable ethos is reflected in everything we do and decisions are made based on what improves the quality of life of our residents, not what maximises return. It also means affordability and fairness aren’t afterthoughts, they’re cemented in from day one.

A truly mixed community

Most retirement villages cater to one type of resident, but ExtraCare doesn’t.

Each location is deliberately designed with a mixed tenure model, which means people live side by side whether they’re:

Outright homeowners
Shared ownership residents
Social renters
Private renters (only a couple of locations offer this at the moment)

This creates real, balanced communities that reflect the wider world, rather than places that feel exclusive or one dimensional. Residents regularly say this mix makes villages feel more grounded and more socially connected.

It also opens the door to high quality retirement living for people who might otherwise assume it’s out of reach.

Long term financial peace of mind

Property worries are one of the biggest stress points for people in later life and also for their families, but ExtraCare tackles this head on with our buyback promise.

When someone buys an ExtraCare property, they know the charity will buy it back when it’s time to move on. The buyback price is the original purchase price, minus a small number of clearly defined costs. That means:

No uncertainty about resale
No pressure on families
No risk of being stuck with a hard-to-sell property

It’s a simple idea, but a powerful one. It gives residents confidence that they’re not making a risky or irreversible decision.

We sat down with the daughter of a couple who lived at Solihull Village, and she told us all about their positive experience with the buyback scheme.

“The buyback scheme turned out to be a life saver for my family. Unfortunately, my Dad passed away and not long after, my Mum had a couple of strokes and she needed to be in a care home with 24 hour care and assistance. If they hadn’t been in an ExtraCare apartment, we would have had to get an estate agent involved to sell it with viewings, offers etc. and all that that entails. I can’t imagine how stressful, not say how costly and time consuming that would have been for our family at what was a very difficult time for us.

Instead, we spoke to the manager at Solihull Village and he told us the procedure for the buyback. We gave three months’ notice, emptied the apartment, and shortly afterwards Mum had the buyback money in her account, less the small depreciation fee which we were made aware of when the apartment was purchased.”

Making retirement more affordable than people expect

ExtraCare also has something most retirement villages simply don’t, which is a dedicated Welfare Benefits team.

Many retirees are entitled to financial support they’re not aware of and ExtraCare’s specialist team works directly with potential residents as well as current residents to help them understand what they can claim and how to access it.

For some, this makes a life changing difference to affordability and peace of mind. It’s not about upselling or pushing services, it’s about making sure people aren’t struggling unnecessarily.

This is what St Oswald’s Village resident Margaret had to say about her experience:

“I’d thought for some time about living at St Oswald’s but assumed it would not be affordable. Meeting ExtraCare’s Welfare Benefits Team changed everything for me. Welfare Benefits Lead, Natalie, explained what financial support I was entitled to, and I couldn’t believe it at first. I felt comfortable with her immediately.

She helped me apply for Attendance Allowance when I was sure I wouldn’t qualify. But to my surprise, I got the higher rate. That extra income made all the difference. Before, I was worried I’d never be able to afford St Oswald’s, but suddenly it’s not only possible, it’s affordable…I have £168 more per week to live on, and it’s been life changing!”

Read more about our Welfare Benefits service here.

A lifestyle, not just a place to live

ExtraCare retirement communities aren’t quiet corridors and empty lounges. They’re active, social places with a real sense of energy.

We have dedicated Activities Coordinators whose jobs are to make sure there’s always something going on. That might be fitness classes, art workshops, live music, day trips, guest speakers or resident led clubs. The key thing is choice. Residents can be as involved or as independent as they like. Nothing is compulsory, but opportunities are always there, thanks to our wonderful Activities Coordinators!

We are a retirement community, not a care home

Surprisingly to many, only 20% of ExtraCare residents receive care. That statistic alone tells an important story. These are independent people living full lives, not residents in a care home.

Care is available if and when it’s needed, delivered by knowledgeable, compassionate staff with strong expertise in dementia care. But this never defines the community, this means residents don’t feel labelled or limited by their health. They live in normal homes, in real communities with support that is flexible around them as life changes.

Planning for retirement healthcare costs UK

A deaf aware community and national recognition

Following our appearance on BBC’s ‘Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks’, ExtraCare has become known as a place where the deaf community are genuinely supported and included.

The ripple effects of the British Sign Language lessons that featured on the show have continued, with one resident even running sessions for the students to practice what they have learnt twice a week. They have hopes of turning the village into a Deaf Hub for the local community, and to even get this going in other ExtraCare villages!

Innovation that actually improves daily life

Technology is another area where ExtraCare stands out, but always with a practical, human focus.

The charity is recognised for its work in innovation and technology that helps residents live better for longer. That includes digital tools to stay connected, smart systems that support independence and ongoing support to help residents feel confident using technology rather than feeling intimidated by it.

Check out the video to find out more about our innovation apartment and the smart devices we offer to assist with healthy ageing.

Residents at the heart of the story

Finally, there’s one thing that arguably says more than any brochure ever could, ExtraCare uses its own residents in most of its marketing.

That level of openness says a lot. These are real people, telling real stories about their lives and their communities. There’s no glossy over promise because the lived experience already speaks for itself.

So, why ExtraCare?

Because it offers something genuinely different.
A charitable model that puts people before profit.
Communities that are mixed, inclusive and real.
Financial reassurance that removes long term worry.
Support that adapts without taking over.
A lifestyle built around independence, connection and choice.

ExtraCare isn’t trying to be a luxury brand or a care provider pretending to be housing. It sits confidently in its own space, supporting people to live independently, actively and securely for as long as possible.

Hannah Makin

Hannah Makin is ExtraCare's Digital Marketing Officer with over four years’ experience creating content about retirement living, helping people and their families better understand their options and plan confidently for later life.