ABSTRACT
In 1968 a World Health Organization publication stated that “as a society advances, the rise in its cultural level and standard of living is accompanied by an immense increase in the demands made upon the home in which most a person’s life is spent”. Housing is recognised as a social determinant of the health and well-being of individuals and households. Housing and poverty are strongly connected and the likelihood of living in an inappropriate, unsatisfactory dwelling is greater among those on low incomes, particularly those below the poverty line. Households with low incomes can struggle to afford the rent or mortgage repayments, the local taxes, the charges for services and energy costs. With the anticipated changes to climate, heat waves are likely to become more common. Exposure to high indoor temperatures has serious health implications for the elderly, the very young, and other vulnerable members of the population.
