Ministers have been warned that efforts to save the NHS and grow the economy will fail unless they tackle the housing crisis, as a damning report reveals millions of people are living in substandard homes that risk worsening their health.
In total, 4.5 million people aged 50 or above with an existing health condition in England are living in poor-quality housing with one or more problems such as rising damp, rot or decay that may be making them even sicker, the Centre for Ageing Better analysis found. Of those, 1.7 million are aged 70 or over.
Keir Starmer has promised to reduce NHS waiting times and make the UK the fastest-growing major economy by the end of Labour’s first term in government.
But ministers have been told that the drive to stabilise the health service and deliver sustained economic growth will flop unless the country’s subpar housing stock is urgently improved.
Dr Carole Easton, the chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, a charity tackling inequalities in ageing, said its report exposed how the housing crisis was putting millions of older people with health conditions “in harm’s way”.
“This is obviously terrible for those individuals who live in homes that carry a very real risk of making them sick, particularly when winter comes around.
“But it is also very bad news for the country. Older workers living in homes that are making their health conditions worse are going to be less likely to be able to work and help grow the economy.
“Older people whose serious health conditions are made worse by their homes will require treatment, putting additional winter pressures on our health system. All could be averted if we tackled poor-quality housing with the urgency and priority it demands.”
The report looked at people aged 50 and above with health conditions affected by substandard living conditions, including respiratory diseases, congestive heart failure, heart disease, neurological disease and lung conditions such as asthma.
Housing problems identified included rising damp, water leaks, bad condensation, electrical or plumbing problems, rot and decay, being too cold in the winter, and structural issues.
The analysis also uncovered significant inequalities. Almost half (46%) of black, Asian or minority ethnic people aged 50 or above with one of the health conditions specified had at least one problem with their home. This compared with about one in three (32%) white people.
People aged 50 or over from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background and with a health condition were also twice as likely to have five or more problems with their housing compared with white people.
Those aged 50 and above with a health condition negatively affected by poor housing conditions and with a significant issue in their own home were most likely to live in London (52%), followed by the north-east (35%) and the north-west (35%).
Holly Holder, the deputy director for homes at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “No one should have to live in a home that damages their health, yet it is the norm for far too many people in England today. By failing to address poor-quality homes we are limiting the lives of some of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
“We are calling on the government to fix this hidden housing crisis by delivering a national strategy to tackle poor-quality housing across all tenures and committing to halving the number of non-decent homes over the next decade.”
A government spokesperson said: “Despite the challenging inheritance faced by this government, through our ‘Plan for Change’ we’re taking action to improve housing conditions across all tenures and ensure homes are decent, safe and warm – especially for the most vulnerable.”
