The cost-benefit to the NHS arising from preventative housing interventions (FB82)

BRE (Building Research Establishment) is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.

In 2014 a ‘Bletchley Day’ workshop was organised by Care & Repair England. BRE was tasked with considering ways to demonstrate the investment value of home adaptations and modifications.

BRE researched some of the cost-benefits to the NHS of undertaking preventative home interventions for households with a long-term sickness or disability, where the risks of accidents in their home are worse than the national average. This identified the need for preventative work in around 3 million households who have a long-term sickness and disability. This work would make their homes safer and warmer and so would reduce the likelihood of NHS treatment and the need for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) adaptation required as a result of injury.

On 29 April 2016, BRE published The cost-benefit to the NHS arising from preventative housing interventions (FB82) by Helen Garrett, Mike Roys, Selina Burris and Simon Nicol.

It will be of particular interest to all government departments responsible for health and housing, Public Health England, the NHS, local authorities, social housing providers, Age UK, Home Improvement Agencies, the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and students of public health and housing.

The contents of the publication are:

• Foreword.
• Executive summary.
• Introduction.
• Research background.
• Literature and methodological review.
• Home interventions to reduce the risks of HHSRS hazards.
• A new cost-benefit model using the cost of poor housing approach.
• Estimating the reduction in cost to the NHS of home interventions.
• Additional costs to society of not adapting homes for the disabled and vulnerable.
• Conclusions.
• Literature review.
• References.

BRE Group

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• Homes and ageing in England.
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• Quantifying the health benefits of the Decent Homes programme FB 64.
• 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.
• The full cost of poor housing.
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• What's the condition of your housing stock?

[edit] External references

• Cost Benefit or Benefit Cost Analysis