Housing and health inequalities: why is housing on the periphery of health and welfare policy?

Poor-quality housing is a major but under-recognised driver of health inequalities in the UK. This perspective article explores how housing conditions are shaped by tenure, regional disparity, ageing populations, and decades of political and economic decision-making. Drawing on contemporary policy developments and examples from towns such as Blackpool, we argue that housing should be treated as health infrastructure, not a market commodity. We examine the health consequences of poor housing, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, mental illness, and premature ageing, and highlight interventions to address housing issues such as regeneration, Housing First, and selective licensing. As pressures on the NHS and local authorities mount, addressing housing as a root cause of ill health is both a moral and pragmatic imperative. Until we treat housing policy as health policy, we will continue to treat the symptoms while ignoring the cause.