Ageing Better proposes network of home improvement support to address poor quality housing
New research from Ageing Better and partners identifies a cost-effective solution that could change the lives of up to one million people a year.
Creating a network of one-stop shops for home improvement across the country would effectively cost the government nothing while delivering substantial benefits towards Labour’s growth and health missions, new analysis from Ageing Better and cross party think-tank Demos reveals.
A national network of Good Home Hubs assisting people with home improvements could pay for itself and actually deliver an annual net gain to the government of £16 million, new research reveals.
The research also highlights the stark need for comprehensive home improvement hubs with two in five UK households prioritising home improvements but facing barriers to delivering them.
This includes one in eight UK households with a high need, enduring a daily inconvenience because of improvements not carried out on their homes.
A national network of Good Home Hubs would create local one-stop shops that provide support on all aspects of home improvement including energy efficiency and retrofit upgrades, accessibility changes, minor adaptations and handyperson repairs.
Although many local authorities do offer this service already, Centre for Ageing Better research found the range of services on offer varies significantly and leaves residents at the mercy of a postcode lottery.
The new analysis also details how a comprehensive home improvement service across the country would help health services by reducing hospital admissions and delayed discharges. It could also potentially raise health outcomes, help tackle fuel poverty and boost the economy by creating jobs and supporting local businesses.
The new analysis estimates that a comprehensive Good Home Hub service would cost a local authority around £1.6 million on average – a figure similar to the savings proposed by some councils for moving to a monthly refuse bin collection service.
Ageing Better is calling on the UK government to develop a national strategy to fix cold and dangerous homes which sets out detailed plans to improve poor-quality homes across all tenures and brings together work on housing currently divided between different government departments, such as health and social care and net zero.
The charity wants the government to back up the strategy with sufficient, long-term funding and help ensure home improvement support can be delivered at a local level through Good Home Hubs.
Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “The quality of our homes is such a significant factor in the quality of our later life. It is a national scandal that millions of people, including a disproportionately high number of older people, are becoming sick because of their damp, cold, hazardous homes and thousands are dying.
“Much of this could be resolved with adequately funded, comprehensive support for people to maintain, repair and adapt their homes across the country.
“Creating a network of home improvement support would transform millions of lives while also delivering substantial national and societal benefits including improved public health, reduced strain on health and social care services, economic growth, and significant progress on climate goals.
“We need action from local and national policymakers to prioritise poor quality housing as the public health crisis it is and deliver the right solutions to ensure that everyone has a home worthy of the name that is safe, secure, warm and comfortable.”
Dan Goss, Senior Researcher at Demos, said: “The government’s housebuilding plans are promising, but overlook the millions of dangerous, cold, and inadequate homes currently in Britain. If we want good homes for all, we also need to fix what we’ve got.
“While the elephant in the room is often money, that’s not the case here. Good Home Hubs would empower residents to fix problems in their home, and the model would pay for itself. The hubs would cut costs for councils while expanding the market for home improvements, unlocking extra revenue.
“The reward for residents, the public purse and the country is clear. What’s needed now is action.”
In recent news, a report by Inclusion London uncovered the grim reality of inaccessible and unaffordable housing in London.
