Health and wellbeing should be at the centre of housing strategy

Health and wellbeing needs to be placed at the centre of housing strategy, if the government is serious about creating an equitable UK. A new report from global health think tank the UCL Institute of Health Equity, sponsored by Legal & General and produced in partnership with the Quality of Life Foundation, reveals how poor quality and inequitable access to homes that people can afford is linked with worse mental and physical health, while increased availability of secure, affordable, warm homes can improve long-term health and longevity. The report, Building Health Equity: The Role of the Property Sector in Improving Health, proposes a new way forward to enable the property sector and national and local government to put health, wellbeing and environmental sustainability at the centre of how the UK builds and maintains homes, designs neighbourhoods and fosters communities. Key recommendations include: Help address the UK’s housing affordability and availability crises by supporting the supply of the right homes in the right places, with a mix of home types and tenures. Design, build, maintain and retrofit homes that support residents’ health and wellbeing. Prioritise features including high safety standards, energy efficiency, comfortable temperatures, good air quality and design that helps older residents or those with disabilities.  Ensure residents have access to local services and infrastructure that have a direct bearing on health and wellbeing, including healthcare, education and community facilities; high-quality green and play spaces; and public transport. Foster strong community relations that support mental and social wellbeing through collaborative engagement with residents, opportunities for local businesses and active support for community-building activities – not just through planning and development but through ongoing operation. Sir Michael Marmot, director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity, said: “Health and housing are integrally linked. If our homes do not provide security, safety, quality and belonging, good health is not possible. The twin housing and health crises bring an opportunity for new partnerships between government and the property sector to promote and sustain health equity. “Solving the housing crisis is urgent, but it will take more than simply building high quantities of homes. Our report lays out a new way forward and reinforces that preventing ill health and reducing inequalities can and must begin at home.” Pete Gladwell, group social impact and investment director at Legal & General, added: “As investors, developers and operators, we are already seeing the positive impacts of integrating environmental considerations into business plans and strategies; the same effect can come about when we prioritise addressing inequalities in health. This is an opportunity for the property and housing sector to change millions of people’s lives for the better: helping them to live more healthily and for longer. “Equitable access to high-quality housing sits at the bedrock of this. This report underscores just how vital the property sector is in tackling health inequality, helping to lay the long-term foundations for a better future.” Read the report in full here Photo © Shutterstock