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New report highlights how housing shapes health in Gloucestershire

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A new report from Gloucestershire County Council shows that the quality, cost and security of our homes have a major impact on people’s health and wellbeing across the county. 

The report, Home is where our health is: Strengthening health through housing in Gloucestershire, is the Director of Public Health’s annual report for 2025/26. It looks at how homes and neighbourhoods affect physical and mental health, from cold and damp homes, to overcrowding, affordability and access to services. 

The report makes clear that housing is one of the strongest factors influencing health. Poor-quality housing can make people poorly, worsen existing health conditions and increase pressure on health and care services. But it also showcases some of the fantastic examples of how the seven Gloucestershire councils, the NHS, housing providers and community organisations are already working together to make housing better across the county.  

In Gloucestershire, the report highlights challenges including: 

  • Cold, damp and unsafe homes that increase the risk of illness and injury 

  • Rising housing costs that can damage mental wellbeing and cause stress 

  • A shortage of affordable, accessible and adapted homes 

  • Hidden homelessness, overcrowding and housing insecurity 

  • An ageing population and growing need for homes that support independent living 

It also looks ahead. Over the next 20 years, around 90,000 new homes are planned for Gloucestershire, creating a major opportunity to design homes and places that support better health for everyone. 

The report calls for health to be built into housing decisions from the start, including planning, design, retrofitting and regeneration. It also sets out recommendations to strengthen existing partnerships to tackle health inequalities through better housing. 

Director of Public Health at Gloucestershire County Council, Siobhan Farmer, said: 

“Housing remains one of the most powerful, and most stubborn, factors shaping our health. Without a safe, warm, stable home, everything else we want to achieve becomes much more difficult. As we look ahead, my ambition is that everyone in Gloucestershire can have a safe, warm home and a place to live that lets them be active, connected and supported by the communities and natural spaces around them.” 

Home is where our health is: Strengthening health through housing in Gloucestershire is available to read here.  

Watch the video of Siobhan Farmer talking about the report here.