A new report has revealed that 4.3 million homes around England are considered to be in a non-decent condition, which is putting the health and wellbeing of around ten million people at risk, as a result.
Carried out by The King’s Fund and the Centre for Ageing Better, the study found that one of the most common reasons for housing being in a poor condition is excess damp and cold. And it may be difficult for homeowners to make necessary changes to their houses because of the financial pressures now being felt as a result of the pandemic.
Senior evidence manager at the Centre for Ageing Better Holly Holder observed that winter can be a worrying time for those living in cold and damp homes, and the problem could be exacerbated this year if we face a lockdown over the winter months.
She went on to say: “Spending long periods of time in a cold, damp and unsafe home is bad for people’s health and could increase the risk of serious consequences if someone were to contract Covid-19.
“The government urgently needs to reach out to these at-risk groups so any immediate interventions can be made to make homes warmer, free of damp and safer. We also need government to address the crisis in the quality of housing and recognise the key role that housing plays in the health resilience of our communities.”
The study also found that interventions that can improve housing quality can be a very cost-effective way of improving health outcomes. For every £1 spent on making homes occupied by at-risk households warmer, £4 can be delivered in health benefits.
And spending £1 on home improvement services to reduce falls in the home is projected to result in savings of £7.50 to the health and care sector.
Research assistant at The King’s Fund Clair Thorstensen-Woll made further comments, saying that lockdown hasn’t been an equal crisis and there have been many vulnerable people spending an increased amount of time in houses that are cramped, unsuitable or physically unsafe… and the pandemic has highlighted mounting evidence that poor housing has a negative impact on people’s health.
This comes after housing association Habinteg published research revealing that inaccessible housing made lockdown much harder for many disabled adults in the UK. It was found that the wellbeing of disabled people was three times more likely to have been damaged by a lack of access at home compared to non-disabled people.
Some 22 per cent were unable to use their kitchen or bathroom fully without assistance, while 35 per cent of people were unable to carry out all daily activities and tasks at home without help during lockdown.
Looking for disabled shower seats? See what we have in stock today.
30 September,2020
