Building Health into Homes
OT expertise can ensure housing supports health, wellbeing and participation
Homes are more than bricks and mortar. They shape what people can do, how safe they feel and how well they can live. When homes are cold, damp, unsafe or inaccessible, the impact on health can be huge – and it places avoidable pressure on health, housing and social care services.
Building Health into Homes brings together evidence, practical tools and real-world examples to help systems and services act earlier – so that housing supports health, wellbeing and participation.
Housing is every occupational therapist’s business. Every single person we work with lives somewhere, and that environment has a huge impact on how well they can live their lives.
Lauren Walker, RCOT Professional Practice Manager
What's available
We’ve created three new resources, designed for different audiences but intended to work together. These will be published during June and July.
Our first publication is the Strategic Report.
Get the Practitioner Toolkit straight to your inbox
If you'd like to receive the Practitioner Toolkit straight to your inbox and get a link to Housing LIN's Happi Hour webinar, spotlighting the Building Health into Homes project, complete the form below.
Stay up to date with the conversation
If you're a member of RCOT, you'll have early access to resources and opportunities to get more involved by joining our Inclusive Built Environments network on RCOT Communities.
Why this matters now
Across the UK, health policy is increasingly focused on prevention, community-based support and integrated working. This shift won’t succeed if people are discharged to or supported in homes that are unsafe, unhealthy or inaccessible.
Occupational therapists are uniquely placed to bridge the gap between individual need and system solutions, because OT practice is grounded in the relationship between people, environments and daily life.
Bringing housing into the prevention agenda isn’t an add-on, it’s the difference between a system that truly supports people to live well and one that manages the consequences of failing them.
Building Health into Homes: Strategic Report
Who these resources are for
Building Health into Homes is relevant to:
- Occupational therapists in all settings, not just those who have a direct role in housing.
- Service leads and managers in housing, health and social care, who want to develop integrated services and pathways.
- Commissioners and system leaders across housing, health and social care who shape strategy and investment.
- Housing providers, planners and developers who want homes to enable people to live well.