Healthy Homes

Healthy Homes: The impact of housing quality retrofits on the health and well-being of older people

This project investigates whether home energy efficiency upgrades, such as loft insulation, double glazing and boiler replacement, improve the health and well-being of older adults in England. The study also explores whether these improvements reduce health inequalities and support the UK’s net zero commitments.

Background

Poor quality housing remains a major issue in the UK, particularly for older people. Many homes are difficult to heat and suffer from damp, mould or inadequate insulation. These conditions are linked to increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory illness, reduced mobility, and poorer mental health. Older adults are especially affected, as they tend to spend more time at home and are more vulnerable to the health consequences of cold or damp environments.

Although the government has invested heavily in retrofit schemes, their impact on physical and mental health has not been evaluated at scale in a real world setting.

Broad aims

To assess whether housing retrofits improve health and reduce hospital admissions among older adults
To examine whether improvements reduce health disparities between higher and lower income groups
To evaluate the cost effectiveness of retrofits and their contribution to national net zero targets

Methods

The study uses data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), linked to the UK government’s National Energy Efficiency Data Framework (NEED) and NHS data. This allows us to identify participants whose homes received retrofits between 2004 and 2022 and compare their health and well-being outcomes with those living in non-upgraded housing.

We will analyse changes in health, hospital admissions, long term conditions, mental health, quality of life, and energy use. Economic modelling will estimate the costs and benefits of further retrofitting the housing stock to meet future environmental goals.

Timescale