Housing quality

One in seven homes in England are classified as 'non-decent' because they don't meet basic standards of comfort, repair, facilities or safety. Poor-quality and overcrowded housing often leads to ill health, as it is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, depression and anxiety. Single-person, low-income and minority ethnic households are most likely to live in non-decent homes, which are most common in the private rented sector. Rates of overcrowding are highest among social and private renters, at 8% and 5%. The housing emergency is ruining lives. Our housing market is broken, with more and more people unable to afford decent and secure accommodation. Owning a home is increasingly hard for the young because of rocketing house prices, and we are not building enough social housing, increasing demand and costs in the private rented sector.