Trend report: what we know about the age of housing association homes

Insight14 Apr 2023Joe Malivoire

A significant proportion of housing association homes in England have been standing for well over half a century, with many likely to need significant energy efficiency improvements to hit 2030 targets. Joe Malivoire reports

An example of an early social housing estate in London (picture: Alamy)

Sharelines

A significant proportion of housing association homes in England have been standing for well over half a century, with many likely to need significant energy efficiency improvements to hit 2030 targets. Joe Malivoire reports

Fifteen per cent of all homes in the housing association (HA) sector in England were built before 1945, forming part of an overall housing stock in Britain which is the least energy efficient in Europe.

Data from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) shows that 34 per cent were built before 1965.

Of homes for affordable rent, nine per cent were built pre-1945 and 18 per cent pre-1965, according to the RSH’s Statistical Data Return 2022.

All social homes must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band C by 2030, so HAs have limited time to address potential shortcomings.

Some of the 397,751 HA homes built in England prior to 1945 are more likely to require retrofit investment to improve energy efficiency than newer homes.

Within this number, 145,383 (134,925 general needs; 10,458 affordable rent) homes were built pre-1919, and are therefore likely to need the highest retrofit spend. This figure accounts for 6.1 per cent of total general needs homes and 3.4 per cent of total affordable rent homes.

However, the figures do not show whether the old stock highlighted has already received investment to bring it up to the 2030 target.

There are six HAs with more than 10,000 properties built before 1945, four of which have stock almost exclusively in London – L&Q, Notting Hill Genesis, Clarion and Peabody. The other two HAs are Riverside and Midland Heart.

Click on the button below to download data tables for ‘Trend report: what we know about the age of housing association homes’*

*This feature is only available to Social Housing Data subscribers.

Sign up for Social Housing’s data analysis newsletter

Picture: Alamy

New to Social Housing? Click here to register and sign up for our data analysis newsletter

The data analysis newsletter is a twice-monthly round-up of Social Housing’s leading data analysis, keeping you up to speed on key trends and pointing you to all the data you need on financial and operating performance in the sector and beyond.

Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters.