Poor housing stock is costing the NHS £1.4bn a year.
The latest research from consultancy the Building Research Establishment also suggests that every £1 spent on warming up the homes of vulnerable households yields £4 in health benefits.
Much of the money is spent on tenants of inadequate housing, but the health service also spends £383m a year treating homeowners with illnesses related to cold living conditions.
The BRE estimates that for less than £1,000 40% of all poor housing that is owned outright or with a mortgage could be remedied and the NHS would start to save money in about seven years.
