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20%

of people living in the North have a limiting long-standing illness

15.3%

the North’s homeless acceptances in 2014/15 represents 15.3% of the national total

10.8

the proportion of Northern residents providing Unpaid Care to others

Health and Wellbeing

Making the case for housing and health

The interdependent relationship between health and housing is not new and the housing sector has a strong and visible role in tackling health inequaities, relieving the burden on the NHS and reducing costs to the public purse.

Published in 2010, The Marmot Review of Health Inequalities provided a clear platform for the housing sector to engage with their health colleagues. Marmot revealed a staggering picture of entrenched and growing inequalities. Inequalities which result in over £30 billion in lost productivity, up to £32 billion in lost takes and higher welfare payments. Whilst there is a strong economic rationale to reduce health inequalities, the impact on people is much more worrying – for example in around half of England’s Local Authorities, we see an inequality gap around life expectancy, years without disability or life limiting illness. That gap is at over seven years depending on where you live. In one northern city you can take a bus route across the city and your life expectancy reduces by 20 years as you travel from the richest to poorest neighbourhoods.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 also introduced significant change to our health and well being infrastructure and navigating this new landscape is key for housing providers. We are working on a range of products and services to support NHC members in making the case for housing and demonstrating the beneficial impact the sector has in reducing health inequalities.

Making your sheltered housing stock and service fit for purpose: The challenge for sheltered housing providers

The aspirations of older people are changing, and increasingly Sheltered Housing providers face issues of lettability and stock condition. This has led to many providers identifying the need to appraise their sheltered stock and service to ensure sustainability.

Working in conjunction with the Northern Housing Consortium (NHC), Peter Fletcher Associates (PFA), has developed a package of practical help and support tools specifically designed for Sheltered Housing providers. We understand that needs differ greatly from provider to provider, and have developed a pick and mix menu of service options to choose from.

Ageing Society and Social Care

The challenges arising from demographic change and the demands placed on social care are truly staggering and housing providers and LA’s need to be thinking now about how they respond proactively to this challenge. We have worked with members for many years on this agenda including work on Age Friendly Communities and a new project “innovation in housing & social care”.