Response to Northern Ireland Housing Executive Review of Housing and Health

Abstract

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), Review of Housing and Health – Towards a Shared Agenda policy. The Institute aims to improve health in Ireland, North and South by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policies in favour of health.

The Institute recognises the potential health impacts linked with housing and welcome the proactive approach NIHE is adopting. By identifying the wider determinants of health, the NIHE acknowledges that as a statutory organization they have a major role to play in contributing to improved health for Northern Ireland. There are many causal pathways linking housing to health and due to the nature of social housing, a number of vulnerable groups, for example those on a low income or the Travelling Community are subject to NIHE policies.

Overall the policy outlines a number of key recommendations. The Institute advise that the Implementation Plan which will incorporate the recommendations should outline targets which can be measurable, for example, under Objective 1 which identifies the reduction of fuel poverty. We recommend that key targets are outlined to show what action the NIHE has set in accordance to measure a reduction in fuel poverty.