Housing quality

The quality or condition of a home is one of the more direct ways in which housing can affect health

The quality or condition of a home is one of the more direct ways in which housing can affect health: a home could be cold or hard to heat, contain hazards such as fall risks or faulty wiring, or be damp and mouldy.

Studies have linked damp to a number of health problems, including respiratory issues, physical pain and headaches, particularly affecting children. At the most extreme we have recently seen tragedies like the deaths of Awaab Ishak and Barbara Bolton that could have been avoided if housing policy took health more seriously.

Quality and condition can also include the suitability of the home, such as whether it would be considered overcrowded for the household living there. Less obvious aspects include whether the home has access to a garden or outside space, an issue brought to the fore during the first COVID-19 lockdown.

The charts in this section explore the relationship between housing quality and health, as well as trends and inequalities in housing quality.