Lost opportunities: A decade of declining national investment in repairing our homes

This report, published by the Centre for Ageing Better, outlines the decline in national investment in home improvement, the consequences and what we need to do next.

This new report with the Healthier Housing Partnership shows that a failure to invest in home improvement in the last decade is contributing to this hidden housing crisis. Over the past decade, £2.3bn in home improvement grants has been removed by the government, leading to hundreds of thousands of fewer homes being repaired.  

In light of this report’s findings, the Centre for Ageing Better is recommending:

• Creation of a national home improvement strategy (with financial backing) to improve the quality of England’s homes. 
   
• Establishment of a national network of regional one-stop shops (or Good Home Hubs (opens new window)) that provide residents with access to advice and support for home improvement. 
   
• Implementation of recommendations in the Centre for Ageing Better’s Triple Dividend report (opens new window) which identifies £625m of annual home improvement funding.