That's a good point, there's also the issue of if elderly people downsize then there will be less smaller properties for people to buy to get onto the property ladder in the first place.

I think it should be an option, with incentives, for elderly people. I don't think mass numbers would do it but it may just help some who are in two minds.

As pointed out on Question Time last night, if old people sold their large houses, how would younger people be able to afford them? The housing market is so inflated that house prices are now well out of reach of those who would need them, and unless there is some forced capping of house prices (hey, let’s use those handy council tax bands) to help buyers, this idea is going to go nowhere.