Homes | The State of Ageing 2025 | Centre for Ageing Better

Key points

Across England 2.3 million older people are living in homes that are of poor quality. This varies slightly between regions and is particularly acute in the private rented sector.
More than two in five (42%) privately rented homes headed by someone aged 55 and over in the South West are non-decent, compared with fewer than one in five (17%) in the South East and East Midlands.
The proportion of owner-occupied homes headed by someone aged 55 and over that are non-decent ranges from one in ten (10%) in London to more than twice that (21%) in the East Midlands.
Poor-quality homes can have an impact on the mental health of their inhabitants, with 1.2 million older people experiencing high levels of anxiety.
More than a third (36%) of homeowners aged 55 and over who are living in a non-decent home report high or very high levels of anxiety, which increases to two in five (40%) household heads aged 55 and over in the private rented sector and almost half (47%) in the social rented sector. Across all tenures, very high levels of anxiety were more common than high levels among people aged 55 and over.
More than one million homes headed by someone aged 55 and over get too hot. This can increase the risk of a number of serious health issues, including heart attacks, irregular heartbeats and heart failure. Of these, almost a quarter of a million (237,000) are owner-occupied homes headed by someone aged 75 and over.
There are more than half a million (576,000) uncomfortably hot homes with a household head aged 55 and over and someone living in the household with a long-term illness or disability. This means that half of all the uncomfortably hot homes that are headed by someone aged 55 and over have someone with a long-term illness or disability living in the property.
In every region, the vast majority of homes are in EPC bands C and D (from 84% in the South West to 96% in the North East). The proportion of homes that are in EPC bands E, F or G (which ranges from 2% in the North East to 14% in the West Midlands) is higher for homes headed by someone aged 55 and over than for the population as a whole.
In more than half the regions in England, at least one in ten homes headed by someone aged 55 and over is in EPC bands E, F or G. For homes headed by someone aged 75 and over, this is the case in two-thirds of regions in England.
Just over one in ten (12%) homes across England are fully accessible, meaning that they meet all four requirements set out in the country’s minimum housing standards.
Accessibility varies by age and region: around a quarter (23%) of homes in London headed by someone aged 55 to 64 are fully accessible, compared with fewer than one in ten (7%) homes headed by someone aged 75 and over. In the North West and East Midlands, just one in twenty homes headed by someone aged 55 to 64 are fully accessible.

What needs to happen

National government needs to commit to improving the quality of cold, dangerous homes, particularly for poorer homeowners, in the national housing strategy. This should set out detailed plans to improve poor-quality homes of all tenures across England and bring together work on housing by multiple government departments. The strategy must be backed by sufficient, long-term funding and include a mechanism for delivery at a local level, such as Good Home Hubs.
National government needs to urgently deliver on the long-standing commitment to raise accessibility standards for all new homes. This will ensure that disabled and older people can live independently and with dignity in the 1.5 million new homes that are being built during this parliament.
Local government needs to provide local one-stop shops for all aspects of home repairs and adaptations, with support for everything from finding trusted tradespeople and identifying what work needs to be done to understanding how to finance repairs and improve energy efficiency. We call this a Good Home Hub. Local Good Home Hubs would build on best practice in home improvement services already in place across England. They would form a network to share best practice and learning and be supported by a national framework, adapted to suit different areas, so that wherever you live you would receive the same high-quality support.

The quality of our homes

Millions of older people in England live in non-decent homes, putting their health, wellbeing and financial security at risk, with large disparities across the country

Non-decent homes are defined as those with a Category 1 hazard (as assessed by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System), that are not in a reasonable state of repair, lack reasonably modern facilities or are not effectively insulated or heated. Such homes will be excessively cold, damp or hazardous and pose an immediate threat to a person’s health.

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What do the charts show?

A high proportion of homes of all tenures headed by someone aged 55 and over are non-decent, and this proportion varies across England:
- The percentage in the owner-occupied sector ranges from one in ten (10%) in London to twice that (21%) in the East Midlands.
- In the social rented sector, the proportion ranges from fewer than one in ten (7%) in the South East to almost one in five (17%) in the South West.
- By far the highest prevalence of non-decent homes is in the private rented sector, with rates ranging from 17% in the South East and East Midlands to 42% in the South West.
- Only in the East Midlands is the prevalence of non-decent homes in the owner-occupied sector (21%) higher than in the private rented sector (17%).
- Regional patterns of non-decent homes are different for each tenure but the South West has the highest prevalence of non-decent homes in its social and private rented sector (17% and 42% respectively) and the second highest prevalence in the owner-occupied sector (18%).
Given that the majority of older people own their homes (76% of households headed by someone aged 55 and over are owner-occupied – a total of 8.7 million homes), the highest number of non-decent homes occupied by older people are owner-occupied (even if the proportion is highest in the private rented sector).

We also know that:

Poor-quality homes are clustered regionally as a result of national government and business investment decisions, as well as the ability of residents to afford to maintain their homes, which is, in turn, linked to levels of unemployment and low-paid jobs in certain parts of the country.
Rural areas are more likely to have higher proportions of non-decent homes because properties are often older, which means they are more likely to be hazardous, less energy efficient and in a greater state of disrepair.

Our analysis of data from the English Housing Survey (see our technical report for more details) shows that:

Among people of all ages in England, 7.5 million live in a non-decent home.
There are 3.7 million non-decent homes of all tenures across the country, with the largest number in the North West (652,000).
Almost one in five (19.3%) homes in the North West are non-decent compared with just one in ten in London and the South East (10% and 10.8% respectively).
Of the 7.5 million people living in a non-decent home, approximately 2.3 million are aged 55 and over and 1.5 million are children.
Of the 2.3 million people aged 55 and over living in a non-decent home:
- half a million are living in poverty
- 1.2 million are living in a household where at least one person is disabled or has a long-term illness
- 159,000 are living in a household where at least one person uses a wheelchair
- 1.9 million (79%) are homeowners and 250,000 (11%) are private renters.
The highest number of non-decent, owner-occupied homes headed by someone aged 55 and over is in the North West (212,000), followed by the South West (195,000), the South East (184,000), the East Midlands (176,000) and Yorkshire and the Humber (162,000).

1.2 million household heads aged 55 and over living in non-decent homes have high levels of anxiety

There is a well-evidenced link between people’s homes and their mental health. Homes that are cold, damp, hazardous, insecure, overcrowded or unaffordable can contribute to anxiety, stress and depression.

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What do the charts show?

Almost a quarter of a million (240,000) homeowners aged 54 and under whose home is non-decent are experiencing high or very high levels of anxiety. Among homeowners aged 55 and over whose home is non-decent, the number is almost twice as high (422,000), consistent with the fact that the majority of older people are owner-occupiers.
Of the 422,000 homeowners aged 55 and over who are living in a non-decent home and are anxious, the number with very high levels of anxiety is twice as high as the number with high levels of anxiety (270,000 compared with 152,000).
Of household heads aged 54 and under who are living in a non-decent home and have high or very high levels of anxiety, the number is higher among private renters compared with homeowners (271,000 compared with 240,000).
Among both age groups (54 and under and 55 and over) living in no-decent homes, the highest prevalence of anxiety is in the social rented sector.
The prevalence of very high levels of anxiety is substantially higher than high levels of anxiety in both age groups and all three tenures.
- More than a third (36%) of homeowners aged 55 and over whose homes are non-decent have high or very high levels of anxiety. This increases to two in five (40%) household heads aged 55 and over in the private rented sector and almost half (47%) in the social rented sector.

We also know that:

As well as a clear, evidenced link between people’s mental health and their living situation, a non-decent home can also have an impact on physical health.
In England, 4.5 million people aged 50 and over with a health condition aggravated by substandard housing are living in a home with one or more serious problems, including 2.8 million people aged 50 to 70 and 1.7 million people aged 70 and over.
Non-decent homes have a disproportionate impact on the physical health of people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds as well as people living in London or with a serious health condition or disability.

Healthy homes, affordability and the climate crisis

Homes that are too hot pose a significant risk to health and this is the case for one in ten of all homes in England

Homes that are too hot put a strain on the circulatory system as the heart works harder to regulate body temperature. This increases the chance of heart attacks, irregular heartbeats and heart failure, particularly among older people who may have an existing heart condition. There is already a significant risk of overheating in parts of our housing stock, an issue that is likely to increase in frequency, severity and geographic reach because of the climate crisis. Only 45% of the UK’s housing stock meets the overheating risk criteria for living areas and bedrooms.

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What do the charts show?

One in ten homes in England are too hot. Of these homes, 44% have a household head aged 55 and over, and 40% are occupied by someone with a long-term illness or disability.
Of homes across all three tenures headed by someone aged 55 and over, 1.1 million get uncomfortably hot, and 82% (905,000) of these homes are owner-occupied (consistent with the fact that older people are more likely to own the homes they live in).
Of owner-occupied homes in which the household head is aged 75 and over, almost a quarter of a million (237,000) get uncomfortably hot. (This is the number of homes, not people, so we can assume that the number of people living in uncomfortably hot homes is substantially higher.)
There are more than half a million (576,000) uncomfortably hot homes with a household head aged 55 and over and someone living in the household with a long-term illness or disability. This means that half of all the uncomfortably hot homes that are headed by someone aged 55 and over have someone with a long-term illness or disability living in the property.
Of privately rented homes with a household head aged 75 and over, more than one in five (21%) are too hot.
This percentage is even higher for privately rented homes with a household head aged 75 and over and someone in the household with a long-term illness or disability: more than a quarter (26%) of these homes are too hot.

Energy efficient homes are more affordable and support climate action

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a guide to how energy efficient a home is. It includes estimated energy costs and a rating (or band). EPC bands range from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient and G being the least energy efficient.

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What do the charts show?

In every region the vast majority of homes are in EPC bands C and D. The percentage varies slightly by region, from 84% in the South West to 96% in the North East.
The percentage of homes in the highest bands (A and B) also varies by region, from none in the West Midlands to 6% in London.
The percentage of homes in bands E, F and G ranges from 2% in the North East to 12% in the South West.
For homes with a household head aged 55 and over, the proportion in bands E, F and G ranges from 2% in the North East to 14% in the West Midlands and is slightly higher than for the population as a whole,.
Where the household head is aged 75 and over, the percentage of homes in bands E, F and G ranges from 5% in London to 20% in the West Midlands.
The percentage of all homes in bands E, F and G is above 10% in only two regions – the North West (10%) and the South West (12%). But for homes with a household head aged 55 and over, this is the case for five of the nine regions in England and for homes with a household head aged 75 and over, it is the case for six of the nine regions. Thus, the likelihood of living in a home in one of the lowest EPC bands increases with age across the country.

We also know that:

In some places, people are up to six times more likely to be living in an energy efficient home than in other places. For example, Tower Hamlets and the City of London have the highest percentage of homes in band C or higher (79% and 67% respectively) while the Isles of Scilly and Pendle have the lowest percentage (13% and 24% respectively).
If all homes in England were upgraded to band C, there would be a potential CO2 saving of 97 million tonnes. The cost to upgrade these homes to band C would be £89,945,775.
An average household with an EPC rating of D or below (at least 15.3 million households in the UK) pays an ‘inefficiency penalty’ of £580 for adequate heating compared with the average household living in a home rated C or above.

Our analysis of data from the English Housing survey (see our technical report for more details) shows that:

More than 5.1 million households headed by someone aged 55 and over reduced the number of hours they heated their home due to rising energy costs in 2022. Of these households, 74% were owner-occupied.
Among the households headed by someone aged 55 and over, 916,000 cannot normally keep comfortably warm in their living room during cold winter weather.

Homes ready for an ageing population

Just over one in ten homes in England can be visited by people with access needs

The four accessibility features are a WC at entrance level, no steps between the pavement and the entrance, sufficiently wide doorways and circulation space, and a main entrance door that is free of obstructions higher than 15mm. Just 12% of homes in England have all four accessibility features that mean they can be visited by someone with access needs, but this percentage varies widely across regions and by the age of the household head.

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What does the chart show?

For household heads aged 55 to 64, the highest percentage of homes with all four accessibility features is in London (23%), but this percentage falls to just 7% of homes in London where the household head is aged 75 and over.
Where the household head is aged 55 to 64, the lowest percentage (4%) of homes with all four accessibility features is in the North West and East Midlands.
There is not a consistent regional pattern by age of household head. For household heads aged 65 to 74, the North East (along with Yorkshire and the Humber) has the lowest percentage (4%) of homes with all four accessibility features but the second highest percentage (17%) where the household head is aged 75 and over. The highest percentage (19%) of fully accessible homes for household heads aged 75 and over is in the East Midlands.

Our analysis of data from the English Housing survey (see our technical report for more details) shows that:

Where homes have a household head aged 75 and over and a disabled person whose mobility is highly limited, just 15% are fully accessible.
Fewer than half (46%) of homes occupied by someone who needs a wheelchair all the time have all four accessibility features, and the percentage is fewer than one in five (17%) for homes occupied by someone who only needs a wheelchair outside their property.
In England as a whole, younger people in general are more likely to live in accessible homes despite disability increasing with age. This could be because younger people are more likely to be living in flats, which are more likely to have been designed with accessibility in mind compared with older properties. For homes with a household head aged 54 and under, 15% have all four accessibility features, compared with 11% of homes where the household head is aged 55 to 64 or 75 and over, and 9% of homes where the household head is aged 65 to 74.
In every age group, social rented housing has the highest proportion of accessible homes because some will have been built to meet the needs of disabled people. For example, almost a quarter (23%) of social rented homes where the household head is aged 55 to 64 are accessible compared with 18% of privately rented homes and just 7% of owner-occupied homes with a household head in this age group.
The owner-occupied sector has the lowest percentage of accessible homes where the household head is aged 55 and over – between 7% and 9% of these homes are accessible. In contrast, 14% of homes owned by someone aged 54 and under are accessible.

Summary: The State of Ageing 2025

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