A new report from IHS BRE Press analyses the cost-benefit to the NHS arising from preventative housing interventions. The report, funded by the BRE Trust, models the costs-benefit of some common preventive home interventions on a larger scale using national data sources.
It builds on a workshop held in collaboration with Care and Repair England which considered ways to demonstrate the investment value of home adaptations and modifications. The research considered the cost-benefits of preventative home interventions by reducing the need for NHS treatment and subsequent need for reactive home adaptations.
The research reveals that leaving long-term sick and disabled occupants in homes with significant hazards is costing the NHS nearly £414 million per annum in the first year of treatment costs alone. The costs rise to around £529 million when the costs of responsive home adaptions is factored in.
The research hopes to enable a more informed case for investment in preventative housing interventions and adaptations, which improve people’s health and make sound economic sense, as well as saving public money in the longer term.
Access the full report from the BRE Bookshop.