Energy performance and the presence of hazards in dwellings

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Next update expected:This dataset is not expected to be updated, but is expected to be replaced in the future

Updates

6th January 2026
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Accredited official statistics
Data provider
Welsh Government
Data source
Welsh Housing Conditions Survey
Time period covered
April 2017 to March 2018

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

The Welsh Housing Conditions Survey (WHCS) collects information about the condition and energy efficiency of all types of housing in Wales. These are the first set of housing conditions results for Wales since the last survey in 2008. Key data gathered in the WHCS includes information about energy efficiency, cost of repair, the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS), fuel poverty and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). For full details of the topics included in the survey please see the survey form, available on the WHCS website. Data from the WHCS underpin two of the 46 National Well-being Indicators for Wales, specifically homes free from hazards (Indicator 31) and homes with adequate energy efficiency (Indicator 33).

Data collection or calculation

WHCS fieldwork ran from August 2017 to April 2018. Property inspections were carried out by qualified surveyors, who performed visual assessments of the interior and exterior of properties. For full details of the topics included in the survey please see the survey form, available on the WHCS website. A sample of addresses was drawn from eligible households taking part in the National Survey for Wales 2017-18. A total of 2,549 full WHCS surveys were achieved across the 22 local authorities in Wales, which enables national level estimates. Like any figures based on a survey, these results are subject to margins of error. The margins of error (“confidence intervals”) are shown for each result. These give a range within which the true value is likely to fall.

The results of the WHCS are weighted to compensate for unequal selection probabilities and differential non-response (e.g. to ensure that the tenure distribution of the final dataset matches that of the Welsh population).

Energy efficiency of dwellings: The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is the methodology used by the Government to assess and compare the energy and environmental performance of dwellings. SAP works by assessing how much energy a dwelling will consume, when delivering a defined level of comfort and service provision. The assessment is based on standardised assumptions for occupancy and behaviour. This enables a like-for-like comparison of dwelling performance. The ratings are expressed on a scale between 1 and 100, where 100 represents no energy cost. The ‘SAP 2012’ methodology was used in the Welsh Housing Conditions Survey 2017-18. (see the Glossary on the WHCS webpage.) Housing Health and Safety Rating System: The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a risk-based evaluation tool to help local authorities identify and protect against potential risks, and hazards, to health and safety from any deficiencies identified in dwellings. It is used to determine whether residential premises are safe to live in, or whether a hazard exists that may cause harm to the health and safety of a potential occupant. The System assesses 29 types of housing hazard and provides a rating for each one. Those which score high on the scale (and are therefore the greatest risk) are called category 1 hazards – if, after a local authority inspection, a dwelling contains a category 1 hazard the local authority has a duty to take the appropriate enforcement action. Those that fall lower down the scale and pose a lesser risk are called category 2 hazards – when these occur the local authority may take enforcement action. Full details of the measurement and modelling of these hazards can be found in the WHCS Technical Report on the WHCS webpage.

Statistical quality

Please find this information in the related statistical publication, as per the given weblink.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
stats.housing@gov.wales