Cold homes and warm hearts

The evidence that Cold Homes are harmful

As the energy crises bites and taxes are increased, the poor are becoming poorer, and winter envelopes the country, we thought it was about time to look at the evidence of the effects of cold homes on health. 

We did the usual search and got 47 hits. We've put the full table on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/dzmbp). 

We looked at the effects on older people and children and the impact of household improvements. And due to the paucity of evidence, we’ve set out several questions that need addressing.  

 The agencies and guidance make several important points. In March 2015, NICE suggested that a single-point-of-contact system should be set up to help warm homes. 

 Age UK considers the cost of cold homes to the NHS was £1.36bn in 2016  per year. Given heating was much more affordable than it is now, and with costs out of control, this estimate requires revisiting.   

You’d think there would be a coordinated system to ascertain the number of deaths from cold homes. Yet, the estima…