Your Questions, Answered

State Pension age, or statutory retirement age, in the UK is not the same as retirement age. Retirement age is when you choose to retire and you can still work after you have reached State Pension age.

When you reach State Pension age, the Government gives you a number of options. You can either:

- stop working and get your State Pension
- carry on working and get your State Pension as well
- carry on working and put off claiming your State Pension

If you put off claiming your State Pension, you may be able to get extra State Pension or a lump-sum payment when you do claim it.

The full State Pension is £230.35 per week. The actual amount you get depends on your National Insurance record.

For those receiving the ‘old basic State Pension’ (i.e. people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016), the full rate is £176.45 per week.

The only reasons the amount can be higher are:

- If you have over a certain amount of Additional State Pension
- You defer (delay) taking your State Pension
- You can still get a State Pension if you have other income like a personal pension or a workplace pension.

You might have to pay tax on your State Pension.

You have to tell the Department of Work and Pensions that you have retired and that you wish to claim your State Pension.

You can contact the Pensions Service at the Department of Work and Pensions on 08456 060 265 or go to www.direct.gov.uk. You can also find a pension calculator on the website that may help you to calculate your pension entitlement.

Retirement developments and apartment complexes are designed for independent people aged 60+ who want to maintain their own lifestyle. Unlike care homes or nursing homes, residents live in their own private apartments and do not receive routine personal or medical care.

Key differences:

- Retirement Living: Independent living in a private apartment, with shared facilities and a like-minded community.
- Care Home: Accommodation with personal care support, meals, and communal facilities for those who need help with daily living.
- Nursing Home: Provides the same support as a care home, plus 24-hour nursing care for people with more complex medical needs.

At least one of the Residents living in a Churchill apartment must be aged over 60, with the partner being over 55.

No, you can still work, you will just need to meet the age criteria. 

Retirement living is about enhancing your lifestyle. In many ways, living in a retirement apartment is no different from living in any other development. Your home is your own and you can decorate and furnish it as you wish.

The individual apartments are typically one or two bedrooms. They each have their own front door, modern kitchens and shower rooms but with access to landscaped Communal Gardens. 

Churchill Living developments also include a Lodge Manager, Residents' Lounge, coffee bar and a lively social calendar. There is a community of like minded people of a similar age and the maintenance is taken care of, so you can relax and enjoy your retirement.

Yes, you can smoke in your apartment but, in order to comply with the current regulations and for the comfort of the other Residents, not in any of the internal communal areas.

As with most retirement developments, car ownership declines soon after many Residents move in. Often two car families reduce to one car and, with close proximity to shops and amenities, car ownership is less necessary. Unreserved marked parking bays for Residents are provided at all of our Lodges. All of our car parks are free for Residents.

Of course. Your apartment is your home and you can have whomever you like to come and stay.

Yes, but on some developments you would have to cover the cost of installation yourself, and all such installations will be connected to a communal dish. The majority of developments are Sky enabled.

All our Lodges have landscaped gardens that are easily accessible for all of our Residents. Our management company constantly maintains the gardens to ensure they are always looking their best.

Some of our Lodges have a fitted washer/dryer as standard, whilst in others you’ll find provision for a washer/dryer enabling you to bring your own.

Yes. Just as in any non-retirement apartment block you will have keys to the block itself and keys to your own apartment.

The only person who has a set of keys is the Lodge Manager so that they can get into your apartment in an emergency.

We ensure all communal areas are kept clean and tidy, which is covered by your service charge. We do not provide cleaning for your personal apartment but our Lodge Manager will be able to help you find suitable cleaners if you desire.

Yes. Every Lodge has a Guest Suite that Residents can book for family and friends. This allows many Residents to choose a one-bedroom apartment while still having extra space for visitors. Residents are also welcome to have guests stay in their own apartment and can book Guest Suites at Churchill Lodges across the UK.

All of our developments have a range of communal facilities:

- Communal grounds provide a welcome retreat for you and your friends.
- The Residents' Lounge provides the perfect venue for entertaining and socialising.
- A Guest Suite is provided for family and friends to book and stay over when visiting.
- A lift to all floors comes as standard - so heavy shopping isn't a chore.
- A free car park on every development means that spaces are available for Residents on a first come, first served basis

Well behaved dogs, cats or caged birds are welcome in all our apartments. However, to ensure the privacy and comfort of other Residents, we simply ask that prior permission is obtained in writing from the Lodge Manager.

Yes, as long as they do not interfere with the integral system of the Lodge. If you choose to install additional features you will have to cover the cost of these and their installation.

We do not provide on-site care but a 24 hour emergency call alarm system is provided via a discreet personal pendant alarm and bathroom call point. In an emergency, this system provides direct contact to either your Lodge Manager, or a member of the careline team 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. If you require care visits, you can arrange these in much the same way as you would in your current property.

There is a Lodge Manager at every development. You'll find them a great help, from answering day to day queries, to keeping an eye on your apartment if you go away.

- A camera entry system is installed and can be operated from your apartment.
- An intruder alarm is fitted to the front door of every apartment, and apartments on the ground floor also have sensors fitted.
- Smoke detection systems are fitted in all apartments and throughout the communal areas in the development.
- A 24 hour support system, for added peace of mind.

Simply visit a Churchill development of your choice. Choose the apartment which suits your own individual needs and reserve with a deposit. The purchase then proceeds exactly the same way as any other property purchase.

We will ask you to exchange contracts once your Solicitors have satisfied themselves that the lease and local searches have been properly scrutinised. Final completion usually takes place a short time after exchange.

Your Sales Executive will be happy to help you through the apartment purchase process. We aim to make this as simple and easy as possible.

Yes. Churchill Living apartments are sold on a leasehold basis and you are free to choose to sell the apartment whenever you like. All new apartments released for sale from January 2018 onwards will be sold with a 999 year lease. Apartments released for sale prior to January 2018 are sold with a 125 year lease.

As is common with all apartment buildings, Churchill Living apartments are sold on a leasehold basis. All new apartments released for sale from January 2018 onwards are sold with a 999 year lease. Apartments released for sale prior to January 2018 are sold with a 125 year lease.

Yes, you can sell your retirement apartment at any time on the open market or through our preferred retirement property agent - Churchill Sales & Lettings, which specialises in the sale of retirement apartments. The apartment is owned by you and you do not need to ask permission to sell it. However, under the terms of the lease, you do require written approval from the landlord to assign the lease, should you wish to sell or rent your apartment.

The apartment will become an asset owned by your estate. It will pass to whoever it was bequeathed to in your will. They are free to sell it as soon as Probate is granted.

Yes. Anyone can own one of our apartments but only those over 60, or partners of those over 60 who themselves are over 55, can live in the apartment.

Yes, we are happy to consider part exchange when you wish to move into a new Churchill apartment. We can arrange for your property to be purchased for cash, making your move quick and hassle-free. We can also provide a financial contribution towards your estate agent fees, legal fees and even pay for your removal costs. Our Sales Executives will be happy to explain all these in more detail.

Yes, there are mortgage products available to help you buy one of our apartments. The Sales Executive will be able to give you more details.

Yes, you can rent out your apartment. Your tenants must be over 60 years old and you must get permission from the management company, Churchill Estates Management.

You will still be responsible for the service charge, and any ground rent on the apartment should that apply.

Yes. The Churchill Living team will be delighted to help you arrange removals. We can help you with the purchasing and installation of carpets, curtains - and even new furniture if required.

No, we abolished all exit fees on Churchill properties in summer 2025 so that Residents no longer pay an exit fee (also known as an event fee) when selling or subletting their Churchill property.

Our rental prices are designed to be clear and straightforward. The service charge is payable by your landlord and provides excellent value and peace of mind with no unexpected or hidden costs This allows you to enjoy the benefits of the development while maintaining an independent and hassle-free lifestyle.

Yes. Residents who rent enjoy the same lifestyle and community benefits as those who own their apartment. This includes access to communal facilities, social events and shared spaces within the development.

Rental apartments are currently available at selected developments. Availability may vary by location and apartment type, you can search by location here.

Yes. Renting can provide a convenient option if you're looking to move sooner without waiting for your current property sale to complete. Some customers choose to rent specifically because it allows them to make their move when the time feels right.

Yes. Renters will need to meet all the same criteria as purchasers, as has always been the case with apartments offered privately for rent. 

We like to encourage all our tenants to consider long term rentals so they can benefit from the facilities, form friendships and enjoy the community spirit at our Lodges.

Yes all our apartments are unfurnished.

No you will be responsible for your Council Tax, electric and telephone/internet. We do however include water and sewage rates in your rent. Please do check with the Lodge as some may vary.

Renting offers a flexible way to enjoy all the benefits of Churchill Living without the commitment of purchasing a property. It can be an ideal option for those who want to keep their options open, are waiting to sell a property, or simply prefer the flexibility that renting provides. Residents can enjoy the same welcoming community, purpose-built apartments and lifestyle benefits as those who choose to buy.

As with any leasehold apartment, service charges need to be paid regardless of whether or not the property is being lived in. For transparency, the service charges cover various costs, which include but are not limited to, security systems, call monitoring, external maintenance of the building and grounds, heating and lighting of all communal areas and building insurance. The charge is split across all the apartments within each development; therefore, the charge continues to apply.  However, mindful to assist owners as much as we can, we do offer the option to defer payment of service charges for up to a year if their property is unoccupied, providing it is listed for sale with our in-house estate agency, Churchill Sales & Lettings, as a sole agent.

Churchill developments launched from April 2022 do not charge ground rent. However, older developments, launched before April 2022, may have a ground rent in place where permitted under the legislation at the time they were built.

Retirement housing does differ from mainstream housing in the scale and complexity of the communal areas, which form an essential part of the lifestyle and community our developments offer.  These areas are shared by all Residents rather than owned exclusively by individuals, as a result, the ground rent is the established way of helping to fund them. Some operators fund the communal areas by an exit fee or event fee, and others historically used a ground rent.  We do not charge exit fees, and we strive to keep costs as low as possible for our Residents.  

For all developments released for sale prior to March 2020, the lease provides for a ground rent review after seven years and a review every seven years thereafter. Ground rent reviews are calculated in line with the Retail Prices Index (RPI).

For all developments released for sale from March 2020 onwards, the lease provides for a ground rent review after every 10 years. Ground rent reviews on these developments are also calculated with reference to the Retail Prices Index (RPI), with the annual increase being no less than 2% and no more than 5% per year.  We believe that having a period where the rent costs remain unchanged struck the right balance between giving people certainty for budgeting purposes but sufficiently frequent that large variations were less likely.

Where it applies, the ground rent is collected twice a year, at the same time as the service charge.

Apartment developers do not normally provide Residents’ Lounges, Guest Suites, Wellbeing Suites, or the range of other facilities on offer at Churchill Living developments. Some operators fund the communal areas by an exit fee or event fee, and others historically used a ground rent.  We do not charge exit fees.

Service charges are reissued yearly by Churchill Estates Management  who provide a full budget breakdown for all our Residents to consider, we always aim to keep the service charge cost as low as possible.

No, we abolished all exit fees on Churchill properties in summer 2025 so that Residents no longer pay an exit fee (also known as an event fee) when selling or subletting their Churchill property.

For many people, downsizing to a retirement apartment can help reduce day-to-day household expenses and the costs associated with maintaining a larger property. While everyone's circumstances are different, moving to a purpose-built retirement apartment may reduce the need for ongoing maintenance, repairs, gardening and exterior upkeep.

Many Residents are pleasantly surprised to find that the service charge can compare favourably with the costs of running their previous property. This is because the service charge combines a wide range of services and property-related expenses into one predictable payment. Residents find they benefit from a more manageable and easier-to-budget lifestyle, without having to worry about unexpected maintenance bills.

The average annual service charge for a one bedroom apartment is £3,140 per annum and £4,700 per annum for a two bedroom. The specific service charge applicable to each individual property are made clear to anyone who is considering a purchase, and Churchill Estates Management work diligently to deliver quality, value for money services, striving to keep the service charges as low as possible, whilst ensuring all obligations are met in full. 

All of our Lodges are managed by our specialist property management company, Churchill Estates Management. CEM are a retirement specialist company within the Churchill Living Group, rather than by an unrelated third-party managing agent.

Yes. Churchill Living is the only major housebuilder to offer a 3 year warranty period as standard. Churchill  is also a member of the National House-Building Council and every Churchill apartment is also covered by a 10 year NHBC Buildmark warranty.

As with any property, you have to pay your local Council Tax - within the band allocated by the local council. Additionally, you will have to pay for the electricity you use in your own apartment.

You will have to pay for your own TV licence. However, a TV licence is free for those over 75 but has to be applied for.

There are no other hidden day-to-day charges to pay.

Buildings Insurance is covered by the service charge, however you will need to take out your own Contents Insurance.  Because of the Safety and Security of our buildings, Contents Insurance premiums are typically much lower than offered to those living in their own houses.

Repairs to the fabric of the building, the communal areas, the safety and security systems (including those inside your apartment) and the garden are all covered by the service charge and will be taken care of by the management company, Churchill Estates Management.

Repairs in your own apartment are your responsibility but, of course, the Lodge Manager can provide you with help and advice.

The service charge covers your Lodge Manager, security and emergency call systems, building insurance, maintenance of the building and grounds, heating and lighting of communal areas, and the upkeep and furnishing of shared spaces. You'll also pay your own Council Tax, electricity, TV licence (where applicable), and contents insurance.

A detailed budget is available for every development, and we work hard to keep costs as low as possible.

While buildings insurance is covered by the service charge, you will need to take out your own contents insurance. Due to the excellent safety and security of our buildings, contents insurance premiums are typically lower than the ones offered to those living in their own houses.

Churchill Retirement Living is a registered builder with the National House-Building Council (NHBC). Every Churchill apartment has a 10 year NHBC build mark warranty. Individual Sales Executives will be delighted to give you full details.