Homes and ageing in England
BRE (Building Research Establishment) is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.
The BRE Briefing Paper, Homes and ageing in England was written by Helen Garrett and Selina Burris, and published in November 2015 on behalf of Public Health England. It is available to download free of charge.
The paper uses English Housing Survey data and the research methodology used for The costs of poor housing to the NHS to give an overview of housing conditions for older people and to estimate the cost of the poor housing occupied by the older population to the NHS in England.
It is aimed at professionals and academics working in housing and health. In the foreword, Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing Public Health England suggests that it ‘…provides much needed evidence that can be used by local government and health services in respect of older people. It is very relevant to the preparation of Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies, through using this new information to help build a strong cross-agency housing dimension to health plans and for understanding the returns on investment that can be made across sectors.’
The briefing paper reveals that:
- More than a million homes occupied people over 55 were a significant risk to health, including excess cold, injury from falling on poorly designed steps, and so on.
- Treating the resulting illnesses and injuries cost the NHS more than £600m a year.
- More than one fifth of all older household groups lived in a home that failed to meet the Decent Homes standard in 2012.
- 780,000 households aged 55 and over were in fuel poverty.
- The proportion of older households living in a home with all four accessibility features (level access, flush threshold, WC at entrance level and sufficiently wide doors and circulation space) was similar for all aged groups, ranging from 4% for those aged 55-64 years to 7% for those aged 80 years or over.
- Around a fifth of homes occupied by those aged 65 and over had none of the four accessibility features, and this proportion was higher for households aged 55- 64 (24%).
The paper provides costings and case studies for a range of remedial works that can be undertaken, and calculates pay-back periods for them.
The contents are:
- Overview
- Household characteristics
- Dwelling characteristics
- Housing Conditions
- The Costs to the NHS
- Case studies
- References
- Appendix
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- A Home to Remember.
- A smart home can be a healthy home too.
- A measure of net well-being that incorporates the effect of housing environmental impacts.
- Accessibility in the built environment.
- An ageing population - Challenges for the built environment.
- BRE congratulates Home of 2030 winners.
- Changing lifestyles
- Creating strong communities – measuring social sustainability in new housing development.
- Decent Homes for Ageing Well.
- Dementia-friendly home.
- Inclusive design.
- Lifetime homes.
- Lifetime Homes Design Guide (EP 100).
- Lifetime neighbourhoods.
- Older people.
- People with disabilities.
- The cost of poor housing to the NHS.
- The design of extra care housing for older people and its impact on wellbeing: The East Sussex perspective.
- Well-being and regeneration: Reflections from Carpenters Estate.
- Wellbeing.
Featured articles and news
Sustainability or sentimentality in the refurbishment sector.
Has the pendulum now swung too far ?
Negative impacts of political instability on projects
Expected by 64% of the respondents in nationwide survey.
BSRIA Market Intelligence Reports
World Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) 2022
Statement of health and early intervention.
The importance of regular check-ups
And related links on DB.
Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS
Rooflights, skylights, roof windows and Part L
Shedding some light on the new Building Regulations.
Interview with historic built environment surveyor.
Upgraded membership category now requires assessment.
The average kinetic energy of molecules
Temperature in buildings, explained on DB
Women and unequal pay in project management
Main barrier to entering the profession, new study reveals.
IHBC’s response to Parliamentary Committee
On Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill.
Finalists for 2022 CIOB Awards revealed
Over 70 managers and organisations shortlisted for the 14 awards.
Types of building sensors on BD
From biometric to electrical current, chemical and more.
Government mandates detectors in rented homes
Changes are due to come into force on 1st October 2022.
80% of major government projects are rated red or amber
Heed advice and insight of this report IPA tells the government.
The end of the games but continued calls for action
From the Commonwealth Association of Architects.
Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS