{"id":2573,"date":"2025-02-04T11:15:21","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T11:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/iprblog\/?p=2573"},"modified":"2026-08-04T17:00:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T16:00:51","slug":"the-future-of-housing-a-call-for-person-centered-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/iprblog\/2025\/02\/04\/the-future-of-housing-a-call-for-person-centered-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"The future of housing: A call for person-centered standards"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK Decent Homes Standard, introduced in 2006 to define a basic level of housing quality, needs updating to better reflect the relationship between housing and health. Research by Faye Sanders, in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, highlights how housing conditions influence mental wellbeing and calls for a more person-centred approach that places tenants\u2019 experiences at the heart of creating healthier, more supportive homes.<\/em><\/p>\n

About the author:<\/em> <\/strong>Faye Sanders<\/a> is a PhD researcher at the University of Bath exploring the relationship between the built environment and health. She is an academic advisor to the partnership between NHS Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and is the recently appointed Co-Chair of the Housing Studies Association Healthy Homes Research Network.<\/em><\/p>\n

The UK Decent Homes Standard<\/a>, introduced in 2006, outlines the minimum quality requirements for housing in the social housing sector. However, the need to update the standard has become increasingly clear as housing challenges and tenants' needs evolve.<\/p>\n

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) plans to launch a consultation on the Decent Homes Standard in early 2025, as outlined in its consultation on future social housing rent policy<\/a>. At the same time, the Renters\u2019 Rights Bill<\/a>, currently being debated in Parliament, raises the possibility of extending the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector. This context presents a timely opportunity to examine current standards and consider what changes may be needed to improve population health.<\/p>\n

The Decent Homes Standard establishes specific criteria for housing quality, grouped into four main categories:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The home must meet the statutory minimum standard for housing.<\/li>\n
  2. It must be in a reasonable state of repair.<\/li>\n
  3. It should have reasonably modern facilities and services.<\/li>\n
  4. It must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The statutory minimum standard is defined as the absence of category 1 hazards, which are risks that pose significant threat of harm to occupants. These include dangers such as damp and mould, fire hazards, and structural deficiencies, as assessed using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System<\/a> (HHSRS).<\/p>\n

    The criteria for modern facilities and services specify, for example, that kitchens should be no more than 20 years old and bathrooms no more than 30 years old. However, these criteria also involve further judgments, such as whether the location of the bathroom is appropriate. For instance, bathrooms that can only be accessed through a bedroom are considered inappropriate unless the property is designed for single occupancy.<\/p>\n

    While these standards aim to ensure a basic level of housing quality and protect tenants, they have been criticised for being outdated and placing too much focus on structural and technical aspects of housing. A 2017 social housing white paper<\/a> highlighted the need to update the standards, including consideration of additional measures of housing quality, such as access to high-quality green spaces.<\/p>\n

    The Decent Homes Standard: current approach and opportunities for change<\/h2>\n

    At the University of Bath, in collaboration with colleagues from Harvard Medical School, we have been investigating the relationship between poor-quality housing and mental health across the life course. Using data from a cohort study of approximately 9,000 participants in the Bristol area (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children<\/a>), our research<\/a> identified significant links between experiences of poor housing quality and symptoms of depression.<\/p>\n

    Importantly, our definition of housing quality extended beyond the measures included in the Decent Homes Standard to include factors such as house size, facilities (e.g., access to outdoor space), temperature, decorations (e.g., new furniture, carpets or wallpaper), and tenants\u2019 satisfaction with their homes. Our findings highlighted that poor housing conditions are associated with poorer mental health outcomes.<\/p>\n

    In our research<\/a>, we assessed housing quality through a range of factors, including facilities (e.g., hot running water and access to outdoor space), temperature, decorations, housing problems (e.g., damp and mould), size and residents' satisfaction with their home.<\/p>\n

    Our research also explored how poor housing may affect health at a biological level. We found that the link between poor housing and depression may be partly explained by changes in DNA methylation, a process that influences how genes function. Some of these changes were linked to genes involved in brain health and obesity, providing insight into how the environments we live in may affect both mental and physical wellbeing.<\/p>\n

    When we examined which specific components of housing quality had the strongest relationship with mental health, one factor stood out: tenants\u2019 feelings of satisfaction with their home. This finding suggests that person-centered measures of housing quality, including how residents feel about their homes, may be more strongly associated with tenants\u2019 mental health outcomes than the measures currently included in the UK Decent Homes Standard.<\/p>\n

    Implications for policy<\/h2>\n

    To better protect tenants\u2019 mental health, the UK Decent Homes Standard should incorporate more person-centered criteria. While inspections by trained professionals remain essential, they should be complemented by formal mechanisms for capturing tenants\u2019 perspectives. This could include structured surveys or interviews to assess satisfaction and identify specific concerns. Giving tenants a greater voice in the evaluation process would help ensure that housing standards address not only physical conditions but also residents' lived experiences.<\/p>\n

    As policymakers prepare for the upcoming consultation on the Decent Homes Standard, incorporating tenant perspectives should be a central consideration. If the purpose of the UK Decent Homes Standard is to protect tenants' health, there should be a greater emphasis on person-centered measures of housing quality than the standards currently allow.<\/p>\n

    Extending the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, as proposed in the Renters\u2019 Rights Bill, represents an important opportunity to improve housing quality and protect health across the population. Our research highlights the significant impact that poor-quality housing can have on mental health, including among individuals with higher socioeconomic status. Inadequate housing conditions are therefore an important risk factor for mental health across different social groups, reinforcing the need for housing standards that provide protection for all residents.<\/p>\n

    Housing is a fundamental determinant of health and wellbeing, and the upcoming consultation on updates to the Decent Homes Standard provides an opportunity to strengthen the way housing quality is assessed. Our research highlights the importance of moving beyond technical assessments alone to include the experiences and perspectives of those living in these homes. By placing tenants\u2019 lived experiences at the heart of housing policy, future standards can help ensure homes not only meet basic safety requirements but also support mental health and quality of life. As the government prepares for its consultation, policymakers, housing providers and the public have an opportunity to contribute to shaping a more person-centred approach to housing quality.<\/p>\n

    All articles posted on this blog give the views of the author(s), and not the position of the IPR, nor of the University of Bath.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Editor\u2019s note August 2026:<\/strong> While external shared areas and wider environmental factors were considered during the consultation process, the<\/em> New Decent Homes Standard: Policy Statement, January 2026<\/a>, <\/em>remains primarily focused on the physical condition, safety and energy performance of homes. This article has been updated to improve the clarity, structure and presentation of the text. No changes have been made to the research findings or the key arguments presented by the author.
    \n<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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