Evidence & Data

Care & Repair England closed in April 2022

This website is now an archive

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In this section we list some of the main evidence/ reports concerning housing impacts, particularly on the health and wellbeing of older people.

Key data sources and useful websites are also listed.

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HOUSING DISREPAIR & HEALTH

World Health Organisation Housing & Health Guidelines

The WHO Housing and health guidelines are based on systematic reviews of evidence, providing practical recommendations to reduce the health impacts resulting from unsafe and substandard housing (2018)

The Costs of Poor Housing to the NHS

This analysis by the Building Research Establishment quantifies the cost to the NHS of people living in poor housing using EHS data. This 2021 updated briefing (based on the original report findings) conservatively estimates that the cost of poor housing to the NHS is £1.4b p.a. in first year treatment costs alone.

Non-decent homes and older people: Analysis of EHA Data quantifying health impacts

This report, Home & Dry: The Need for Decent Homes In Later Life (2020), provides comprehensive analysis of the condition of the homes lived in by older people, the resulting impacts on their health and wellbeing, and quantifying costs to the NHS. Published by the Centre for Ageing Better and Care & Repair England.

Housing Policy and Poor Quality Homes

Housing Policy and Poor Quality Homes (2021)draws upon an extensive review of previous initiatives designed to address the problem of poor quality housing to generate a series of recommendations to support a coordinated response to improve the quality of housing. Undertaken by the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Research and commissioned by the Centre for Ageing Better.

The Hidden Costs of poor Quality Housing in the North

The hidden costs of poor quality housing in the North (2018) analysed EHS data to reveal the extent to which poor housing occupied by people with long term health problems or disability, particularly older home-owners, is a major and growing problem in the North of England. Analysis by the Smith Institute and published by the Northern Housing Consortium.

Homes and Ageing in England

Using EHS data and the research methodology underpinning 'The costs of poor housing to the NHS' (see above), Homes and Ageing in England (2015) produced by BRE for Public Health England, provided an overview of older people’s housing conditions and the cost to the NHS resulting from occupation of poor housing by older people.

Housing and Health: A Reading List

This publication (Jan 2022) from the House of Commons Library lists key reports about the relationship between housing and health, including related Parliamentary Reports.

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HOUSING DATA

English Housing Survey (EHS)

The English Housing Survey is a continuous national survey commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). It collects information about people’s housing circumstances and the condition of the housing stock. There has been an annual housing survey since 1967. The main results of the Annual Survey are published as a Headline Report, followed by special reports that analyse particular aspects of housing release of the related data. EHS 2019-20: Headline Report (Dec 2020)

OTHER HOUSING & RELATED DATA

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Publish wide ranging data/analysis, including information about housing and household trends.

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HOME ADAPTATIONS

Systematic evidence reviews

The Role of Home Adaptations in Improving Later Life

This is the most recent systematic analysis of international research concerning the impacts of home adaptations. It was commissioned by the Centre for Ageing Better and undertaken by the University of the West of England and BRE published in 2017.

There is a linked Summary Report- Room to Improve

Better Outcomes, Lower Costs: implications for health and social care budgets of investment in housing adaptations, improvements and equipment – a review of the evidence

Commissioned by HM Government Office for Disability Issues and undertaken by Heywood and Turner of Bristol University in 2007, Better outcomes, lower costs still provides clear and thorough analysis of the impacts, benefits and cost benefits of home adaptations.

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EHS Data analysis concerning home adaptations

The EHS Home adaptations report [2021] reveals that of the 1.9 million households in England which included one or more people with a health condition/disability that required adaptations to their home, 1 million (53%) of these households did not have all the adaptations that they needed [up from 45%/ 864,000 in 2014-15].

Evidence of home adaptations good practice

Meeting the Home Adaptation Needs of Older People LGA & ADASS Guidance [2020]

This updated good practice Guidance from the Local Government Association (LGA) was produced in partnership with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), Care & Repair England and Age UK. It highlights important aspects of home adaptations and provides links to examples of local innovation and good practice.

Adaptations without Delay [2019]

This is the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Guide to planning and delivering home adaptations differrently. It demonstrates how adaptations can be delivered in all four UK nations with the individual at the centre of the process.

Adapting for Ageing: Good Practice and Innovation in Home Adaptations [2018]

Published by the Centre for Ageing Better, written by Care & Repair England, this report researched local innovation and good practice in delivery of home adaptations for older people by pioneers across England. Provides detailed profiles of 24 exemplar localities.

Review of the Adaptation Grant System

Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) and Other Adaptations – External Review [2018] University of the West of England, Foundations, the Building Research Establishment and Ferret Information System

Evidence of adaptation cost benefits

The cost benefit to the NHS arising from preventative housing interventions (2016) identified the need for preventative building work in around 3 million households which include occupants with a long-term sickness and disability. Such remedial works would reduce the likelihood of NHS treatment and the need for more costly interventions.

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HANDYPERSON SERVICES

Small but Significant: The impact and cost benefits of handyperson services [2018]

Small But Significant evaluates the impacts and cost benefits of ‘handyperson services’. These are low cost schemes which carry out small repairs and minor adaptations for older people, primarily delivered by not for proﬁt Care and Repair and other home improvement agencies. The report is relevant to policy makers, service planners, commissioners and providers, examining:

Strategic considerations, driving forces and current evidence of impacts in relation to handyperson services
In depth evaluation of Preston Care and Repair handyperson service, including outputs, outcomes and volunteer involvement
Cost beneﬁts, Return on Investment, and wider impacts, particularly utilising evidence about falls prevention

Summary Brochure also available

Government Evaluation of the Handyperson Programme [2012]

This Communities and Local Government commissioned evaluation of the national, government funded handyperson programme was undertaken by York University. It concluded that handyperson services were an effective low-cost solution that enabled older, disabled and vulnerable people to live independently in their own homes for longer in greater levels of comfort and security, providing an important safety net and enhancing the effectiveness of health and social care provision.

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WEBSITES [A-Z]

British Society of Gerontology – http://www.britishgerontology.org/

Building Research Establishment - https://www.bregroup.com

Centre for Ageing Better – https://www.ageing-better.org.uk/

Department of Health and Social Care – https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities -

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-levelling-up-housing-and-communities

Economic and Social Research Council – http://www.esrc.ac.uk/

Health and Social Care Information Centre – http://www.hscic.gov.uk/

Housing LIN – www.housinglin.org.uk

The Health Creation Alliance (formerly the NHS Alliance) - https://thehealthcreationalliance.org/