Housing and healthcare: Building partnerships to bridge health and housing for thriving communities

On 12 March 2025, along with over 30 CIH members I attended the ‘Bridging Health and Homes for Stronger Communities’ webinar organised by our CIH East Region Group. This thought-provoking session brought together a panel of experts to discuss the intersections between housing and public health.  The session was chaired by Lynne Riddoch, head of customer service improvement at Accent Group and featured insights from Liz Parsons, Jenny Danson, Teresa Howarth and Garry Crockett. 

The panel’s discussions focussed on the importance of collaboration between the housing and health sectors to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for shared customers and communities, with practical examples of successful projects and collaborations taking place locally in the East of England.

The connection between housing and health

Liz Parsons, head of public health and the built environment at Milton Keynes and Central Bedfordshire Council, highlighted that many determinants of public health, such as housing and employment, lie outside the direct control of public health services. As a result, effective partnership working is essential, particularly with social landlords.

In the Bedfordshire area, over 80,000 people live in social housing, with nearly half residing in the most deprived 20 per cent of neighbourhoods. The impact of these conditions is stark: individuals in the poorest areas live on average, seven years less than those in the wealthiest neighbourhoods. Liz described the jointly funded Health and Partnership developed in the region, an innovative partnership bringing together public health with housing associations Peabody, Amplius, and BPHA. This initiative launched in 2022 is establishing a blueprint for collaborative working to address health inequalities.

Shared insights and data for better outcomes

A key takeaway from Liz’s presentation was the importance of building a common language between health and housing sectors. The Health and Housing Partnership has leveraged publicly available data to inform decision-making. A significant achievement of this work has been the creation of the Insights Bank, hosted on the CIH website. This resource provides an integrated view of housing and health data, enabling housing providers to better understand and support their residents. It has quickly become one of the most downloaded publications on the CIH website, demonstrating its value to the sector.

Creating healthy homes

Jenny Danson, chief executive of the Healthy Homes Hub, expanded on the theme of proactive intervention. She emphasised that every investment in housing should contribute to creating healthier living environments. The Healthy Homes Hub, supported by a range of partners, provides practical tools and resources, including podcasts and summary documents, to support learning and implementation. One of the latest innovations in this space is Housing AI, a sector-specific AI tool described as ‘like Chat GPT, but just for Housing’ designed to help social housing professionals navigate the complexities of housing data and policy.

A strategic shift in the approach to public health

Teresa Howarth, strategic lead for private sector housing at East Suffolk Council, addressed why the convergence of health and housing is particularly relevant today. She cited a report from the Royal College of Physicians, which found that 50 per cent of a doctor’s workload relates to wider determinants of health, including housing. Concurrently the proposed10-year plan for the NHS marks a significant shift from a hospital-centric model to a community-based, preventative approach. This shift presents an opportunity for housing providers to engage in partnerships with health services.

Practical interventions in housing and health

Garry Crockett, who manages health and housing at East Sussex Council, shared insights from over a decade of work in this area. He highlighted the Warm Homes, Healthy People initiative, which aims to reduce the estimated 400 excess winter deaths in the region each year. For every winter-related death, there are approximately seven hospital admissions, underscoring the burden on the healthcare system.

Garry stressed the importance of in-home interventions, as visiting residents in their homes provides a clearer picture of their living conditions. By adopting a "Make Every Contact Count" approach, frontline workers can identify and address housing-related health risks more effectively. He shared the example of "Stepping Home," a scheme that helps people transition from hospital to safe, temporary accommodation, reducing the strain on NHS ward staff. The scheme is funding by NHS BCF contributions, and for every £1 invested in the program, an estimated £4-£5 is saved in healthcare costs.

Overcoming challenges and measuring success

The panel agreed that while the case for health and housing partnerships is clear, several obstacles remain. Some of the key challenges include:

• Building relationships across sectors: Effective collaboration relies on strong partnerships, but housing and health providers often operate in separate silos with different priorities and funding structures.
• Data sharing: While data-driven approaches are crucial, health and housing providers need to navigate legal and technical barriers to share information effectively.
• Aligning service boundaries: Housing provider stock does not always align with health service catchment areas, making coordination difficult.

To measure the impact of these initiatives, the panel emphasised the need for clear, measurable outcomes. Examples include:

• Reductions in hospital admissions due to respiratory illnesses
• Improvements in housing conditions (e.g. fewer damp and mould-related issues)
• Increased engagement with preventative health services.

Practical steps for housing providers

For housing providers looking to embark on this journey, the panel recommended considering the following steps:

1. Conduct a health and housing needs assessment to identify key local issues.
2. Leverage existing public data sources, such as EPC ratings and health service records, to map out areas of need.
3. Establish direct links with local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to develop cross-sector collaboration.
4. Explore the CIH website and other professional resources for case studies and best practices.

This webinar provided a compelling case for closer collaboration between the health and housing sectors. By working together, sharing data, and focusing on preventative measures, housing providers and health professionals can make a tangible difference in reducing health inequalities and improving residents’ quality of life.

Members watch the webinar