Topics relating to housing

The links between poverty, inadequate or unsuitable housing and ill-health are well-established.  Herefordshire faces a range of challenges associated with housing affordability and the costs associated with maintaining and insulating an aged housing stock with relatively large numbers of properties without mains services.

Key points:

In 2021, there were 82,800 households in Herefordshire, 26,600 in Hereford city, 18,900 in the market towns and 37,300 in rural areas.

Herefordshire has a higher proportion of lone pensioner households, 16 per cent compared to the West Midlands and England and Wales (both with 12 per cent).

Herefordshire has a higher proportion of households who own their home outright and a lower proportion who own their home with a mortgage, compared with England and Wales. It has a slightly lower proportion that privately rent their home from a landlord or letting agency and a lower proportion that are in social rented accommodation, compared with nationally.

The majority (40%) of dwellings in Herefordshire are detached, a much higher proportion that the national average (25%) and the regional average (25%).  In addition, the majority (28%) of dwellings in Herefordshire were built before 1919, a much higher proportion than for England (11%) and the West Midlands (9%).[1]

A recent housing stock modelling exercise undertaken by BRE on behalf of Herefordshire Council found 19,358 dwellings in the private sector have 'category 1' HHSRS hazards. This equates to 27% of properties. 3,813 dwellings in the private rented sector have category 1 HHSRS hazards. This equates to 25% of properties in the private rented sector. The highest concentrations of all HHSRS hazards in the private sector are found in the wards of Birch, Castle and Golden Valley North.

Comparing Herefordshire to the English Housing Survey (EHS) England average figures for the private sector stock Herefordshire again has significantly higher levels of all hazards and excess cold. Herefordshire has slightly higher levels for all the other indicators.[1]

Compared with the regional average, the private stock again has higher rates of all hazards (27% compared to 14%) and excess cold (19% compared to 3%), with similar levels of the other indicators and slightly lower levels of low income households (19% compared to 20%).[1]

If you have an enquiry regarding housing, please use the link to Herefordshire Council's housing department in the 'useful links' box opposite.

[1]  Integrated Dwelling Level Housing Stock Modelling and Database for Herefordshire Council, BRE, 2019.