Building Research Establishment Housing Conditions Report
Our emerging Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping strategy, looks at the role of the council in meeting the challenges around housing and starting to deliver on our Strategic Priority for Affordable, Available and Decent Homes.
Poor housing damages people’s health and part of our strategy is about how the council supports residents in existing homes to bring them up to standard.
That’s why, together with other councils across Suffolk, West Suffolk commissioned Building Research Establishment (BRE) to pull together all of the available evidence and data so that we can see the extent of the challenges faced in existing housing.
Fuel poverty in West Suffolk
BRE’s report, identifies that of the 82,000 houses we have in West Suffolk, around 60 per cent are owner occupied, and approximately 22 per cent are Private Rented with the remainder social housing.
It highlights that 12 per cent of West Suffolk households, 9,855 homes are in fuel poverty, struggling to keep the gas and electric running as well as pay their rent or mortgage, bills, and for everyday outgoings such as food. The data modelling produced by BRE suggests that 22 per cent of private rented, ten per cent of social housing and nine per cent of owner-occupier households, are in fuel poverty.
Poor energy efficiency in homes
Based on the data, BRE estimates there are 9,775 homes with uninsulated cavity walls, and 9,352 with poor loft insulation below the level required under current building regulations. These homes will lose heat making it expensive for residents to stay warm and bad for the environment as well. Helping homeowners to install these simple energy efficiency measures could have a big impact to residents’ health, reduce their energy bills and cut carbon emissions.
Hazardous homes in West Suffolk
BRE report that around 14 per cent of properties (11,497 households) in West Suffolk are estimated to be living in hazardous conditions that are likely to have a significant impact on their health or safety (contain a Category 1 hazard).
This is further broken down into homes with an unacceptable risk from being too cold and those with an unacceptable risk from falls such as uneven or broken flooring or steep staircases.
It suggests that 5,948 owner occupier, 1,082 private rented and 435 social housing households, are at an unacceptable risk of exposure to cold conditions within their home.
The modelling by BRE also indicates that around 2,974 households in owner-occupier homes, 1,081 in private rented, and 145 in social housing, are living in properties that have fall hazards.
It’s estimated that the cost to address these hazards in just the private rented and owner occupier sector alone would be more than £45m.
What can we do?
If you live in West Suffolk and are in need of support for any of the above issues, please contact West Suffolk Council by phone on 01284 757053 or customer.services@westsuffolk.gov.uk
The data highlights the importance of much of the work we are already doing.
Through Warm Homes Suffolk we are already targeting low-income homes with poor energy efficiency so that residents can heat their home for less, helping lift them out of fuel poverty.
And through Safe Suffolk Renters we are working with the private rented sector to improve living conditions, tackling cold, damp conditions as well as issues of poor disrepair and overcrowding.
Using this report and the database behind it, West Suffolk can be more proactive in targeting support to households to improve living conditions and health of our residents.
And the draft Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy, which Council will consider in November, looks to build on this work to benefit more West Suffolk residents.
You can read the BRE report in full at Building Research Establishment (BRE) Integrated Dwelling Level Housing Stock Modelling and Database report. (The report was procured by BRE - it is not accessible for people using assistive technology. If you need the document in an alternative format please Get in touch with the team at BRE.)
You can read the draft Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy at: Public Document Pack - West Suffolk Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy.