Background

Cold homes are linked to poorer health for older people. Whilst inadequately heated homes will likely impact everyone in some way, some populations are at particular risk of poor health, such as people with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

We also know that low indoor temperatures are linked to excess winter deaths. Interventions include those that:

• Make structural changes to homes and heating systems (e.g. insulation schemes);
• Supplement financial resources for older people to increase the affordability of heating (e.g. the winter fuel payment);
• Focus on behavioural changes around heating homes (e.g. using energy more efficiently).

We used a rapid review to summarise evidence about all three types of interventions. Our work focussed on approaches that aimed to improve housing temperatures and heating, and considers the impact this has on health.

Aims and objectives

• Identify which of the interventions aiming to improve home temperatures benefit which health outcomes;
• Summarise evidence of cost-effectiveness; Summarise the content of effective interventions;
• Identify areas of low quality or absent evidence using an intervention/outcome evidence map.

Resources and further information

• Project report: Tackling poor health in older people resulting from cold homes: A rapid review of effective interventions (September 2023) – Briefing Summary, Executive Summary, Full Report
• Publication: Interventions for cold homes: a rapid review of the health impacts (European Journal Of Public Health)

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