Housing and Health: Improving understanding of how energy-inefficient housing affects health through novel data linkages with large health datasets and economic modelling

Poorly-insulated homes are a major public health problem, contributing to around a third of the health/mortality burden caused by cold weather, but their full impact on the development of chronic conditions remains poorly quantified.

Cold and hard-to-heat homes are also an important driver of health inequalities for people who are particularly vulnerable (e.g. due to age or disability).

Through a systematic review and data linkage projects, this research aims to improve understanding of the health impacts of cold homes, home energy (in)efficiency and potential health benefits of retrofitting interventions in order to inform health and housing policy-making and investments.

National Energy Action and funded through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)