Communities and Local Government

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• English Housing Survey (EHS)

Housing

English Housing Survey (EHS)

The EHS is a continuous national survey commissioned by Communities and Local Government that collects information about people's housing circumstances and the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England.

In April 2008 the English House Condition Survey (EHCS) was integrated with the Survey of English Housing (SEH) resulting in a new survey known as the English Housing Survey (EHS).  

Like the previous EHCS, it has three component surveys: a household interview, followed by a physical inspection and a market value survey of a sub sample of the properties. The EHS also now forms part of the ONS Integrated Household Survey (IHS). The first results from the EHS are available in the Headline Report 2008-09 published 23 February 2010.

Background

The survey covers all housing tenures and provides valuable information and evidence to inform the development and monitoring of the department's housing policies. Results from the survey will also be used by a wide range of other users including other government departments; local authorities; housing associations; landlords; academics; construction industry professionals; consultants; and the general public.

The interview survey is conducted with all householders in the sample (around 17,000 households per year). The physical survey involves a physical inspection by qualified surveyors of a subsample of around 8,000 properties per year. For these properties a (desk based) market valuation is also undertaken. A periodic follow-up survey with private landlords is also undertaken to collect information on landlord experiences and attitudes, what type of landlord they are and why and how they became landlords. The next Private Landlord Survey is being run summer 2010.

The EHS brings together the two previous surveys into a single fieldwork operation. The survey is currently being conducted by the Office for National Statistics as part of their wider IHS. The physical survey is conducted by Miller Mitchell Burley Lane working together with the Building Research Establishment. Information on the background to the move to the EHS can be found in the FAQ section.

EHS publications

Each year initial results will be published in a Headline Report. This will be followed by two Annual Reports later each year - one relating to household trends and the other to the housing stock.  

A set of EHS tables will also be posted on the web site alongside the Annual Reports which will include some continuing time series tables from either the former SEH or EHCS where possible.  

A detailed Technical Report will be released in 2010 with brief annual updates thereafter to reflect any significant methodological changes.  

The datasets which underpin the results will be deposited at the UK Data Archive once the Annual Reports for that year have been published.

All published reports are available from the Publications section.

EHS tables

We are now developing a full set of EHS tables which will be available when the first annual reports are published later in 2010.

The tables which are currently available are those which were published in the EHS Headline Report 2008-09 and will be made available in a downloadable format soon.

EHS datasets

EHS datasets will be made available via the UK Data Archive (external link) for those users wishing to undertake secondary analysis using the EHS.

Each year's dataset will be released once the main annual reports have been published.

Technical information

A summary of survey technical details can be found in the Headline Report annexes. A full Technical Report will be published in 2010 when the main annual reports are published with brief annual updates thereafter to update users on any significant methodological changes.

Customised analysis service

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) provides a service by which non-government users can get customised analysis of EHS data. There is a charge for this service.

For further details please contact: Maggie Davidson email. davidsonm@bre.co.uk, tel. 01923 664410

English Housing Survey Bulletin

An electronic newsletter is available free of charge for users of Communities and Local Government's Housing Surveys. Copies of the latest EHS Bulletin and previous Housing Surveys Bulletins can be downloaded from the Publications section.

Further information

If you would like further information about the EHS or wish to be added to the mailing list for our electronic newsletter please contact us at:

EHS Project Management
2/J2
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU 

email. ehs@communities.gsi.gov.uk
tel. 030 3444 1112.

In this section

• Technical information and background
• Publications about the English Housing Survey (EHS)
• Frequently asked questions about the English Housing Survey (EHS)