East of England landlords urged to strengthen link between health and housing in new report

The report highlighted the “crucial link” between housing and health, and urged ICS leaders to take practical steps towards addressing health inequalities.

The EELGA report, produced in partnership with Public Health East of England and the East of England All-Party Parliamentary Group, revealed that only 20% of people’s health is determined by the healthcare they receive, with people living in poverty more likely to live in poorer quality housing.

This includes living in cold and damp conditions which can cause a multitude of health conditions. Housing instability also worsens mental illness due to the inherent stress involved in struggling to “pay bills, afford food or find suitable housing”.

The report also found that living in unstable housing lessens people’s ability to access healthcare.

There are wider health outcomes highlighted that impact society as a whole. For example, people living with long-term conditions are less likely to be in employment, or if they do work are more likely to need time off due to ill health.

Therefore, the availability of secure, good-quality and affordable homes contributes to positive outcomes, at a time when rates of fuel poverty, homelessness, loneliness and indicators of healthy life expectancy at birth are higher in the region than in England overall.

The report highlighted “pockets” of severe deprivation across the East of England. In Luton, it falls to 5.2 years below the average for life expectancy for the East of England. Central Bedfordshire exceeds it by 2.3 years.

In addition, the region has a higher than average dependency ratio, with a larger proportion of the population aged 0-14 and over 65, compared with those aged between 15 and 64.

As the population ages and more people live longer with complex health and care needs, demand for supported housing and related services is increasing, which will pose significant housing challenges in the region.

Jacqui Taylor, portfolio holder for housing and inclusion at St Albans Council and lead member for housing at EELGA, said: “A safe, warm, affordable and stable home is fundamental to achieving better health outcomes and this report demonstrates that by integrating housing strategies with public health efforts, we can reduce inequalities and build healthier, more resilient communities.

“The consequences arising from the growing pressures facing health and housing services are now greater than ever, and the shared commitment of local councils, housing agencies and health organisations in the East of England is a significant step towards driving systemic change.”

The report highlighted how local councils and housing providers play a key role in reducing health inequalities by addressing factors such as housing quality, affordability and access to vital services.

Frontline recommendations in the report include identifying sites for new and regenerated neighbourhoods that promote health, well-being and active lifestyles. It suggested this could be done through a co-ordinated review of land owned by the NHS and other public-sector partners, with the aim of identifying surplus land for development.

Aliko Ahmed, regional director of public health for the East of England, said: “Housing is one of the most important social determinants of health. The quality and nature of housing can have a big impact on people’s health. The integration of health and housing is therefore essential to our collective endeavour towards healthier communities.

“This report offers ICSs an actionable framework to ensure that both sectors are working together to improve the health and wellbeing of communities, particularly those facing the greatest challenges.”

Earlier this year, a Liverpool-based landlord revealed a first-of-its-kind pilot project that aims to integrate health and social housing data.