Poor-quality housing costs the NHS in England £1.4bn and wider society £18.6bn each year, according to new research.
The study by the BRE Trust, The Full Cost of Poor Housing, looked at how injuries and illness attributable to homes in poor condition impact on the population, including factors such as medical costs, lost education and employment opportunities.
Lead author Mike Roys said: “Although we’ve largely eradicated the diseases associated with the slums of Victorian Britain, there remain a significant number of health and safety hazards in many homes. This is compounded by the fact that the UK has some of the oldest housing stock in the developed world.”
Dr Ann Marie Connolly, deputy director of health equity at Public Health England, said: “The report adds to existing evidence and our wider understanding of the link between poor housing, demands on NHS care and associated social costs. We hope this report will stimulate wider discussions and action to address the important role that good housing plays in underpinning the health and wellbeing of the people of England.”
"Although we’ve largely eradicated the diseases associated with the slums of Victorian Britain, there remain a significant number of health and safety hazards in many homes. This is compounded by the fact that the UK has some of the oldest housing stock in the developed world."
Mike Roys, lead author, The Full Cost of Poor Housing
A CIOB report on construction productivity, published in Construction Manager next month, also links the quality of the built environment with a healthy society. It highlights the “Boiler on Prescription” trial project, piloted by north-east housing association Gentoo Group, which discovered a strong connection between improving the energy efficiency of its stock and improvements in their tenants’ health and welfare.
“Better buildings and infrastructure contribute to productivity not just through their primary function or through directly contributing to increased economic output,” said CIOB incoming president Paul Nash. “Making people happier, safer and healthier encourages them to be more productive and reduces costs elsewhere.”
The BRE report is based on a research project funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the BRE Trust and updates an earlier report, The Real Cost of Poor Housing, published in 2010.
The original report introduced a model to calculate the costs and benefits associated with the main building-related hazards found in homes in England. The new report expands on this, using the latest published data on health and safety hazards in the home and updated NHS treatment costs.
The definition of poor housing has been further expanded to include all sub-standard housing, not just those with serious hazards.
