Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has statutory responsibility in relation to regularly examining housing conditions and need and this provides the basis for the Housing Executive to undertake House Condition Surveys. The Northern Ireland House Condition Survey (NIHCS) provides a wealth of information, which is readily available to, and is regularly requested by government departments, government agencies, the voluntary sector, charities, universities and many private sector interests.The surveys have been carried out since 1974, but the UK Data Archive only holds data from the tenth survey (2009) onwards. All tenures and types of housing are included in the NIHCS, for example, owner occupied and rented housing, vacant dwellings, houses in multiple occupation, apartments, urban and rural properties. For further background information, see study documentation. Further information about the survey can be found on the NIHE House Condition Survey webpage.
The 2016 NIHCS was the twelfth survey to be carried out in Northern Ireland since 1974. All tenures and types of housing were included, for example, owner-occupied and rented housing, vacant dwellings, houses in multiple occupation, apartments, and urban and rural properties. The UK Data Service holds a subset of key housing stock and interview data variables (plus associated derived variables) for all cases (2,023) and for cases where a full household interview has been completed (1,917). Data for vacant stock is also included. The 2016 dataset provided includes one weight for both the housing stock data and household data. This dataset should be used for any analysis of the housing stock and household data. An interview is conducted with the household reference person or partner (if applicable). Please note that generally, the sample data will permit two-way cross-tabulations. However, care needs to be taken with small numbers, especially if variables have many categories. Three-way cross-tabulations or more will not be robust enough to be meaningful. It is important to note that users should use weighted data only for reporting, and numbers should be rounded to the nearest 100 if quoting. National Statistics AssessmentThe 2016 House Condition Survey was assessed for and awarded National Statistic status. House Condition Surveys published prior to 2016 are not classed as National Statistics. National Statistics status means that official statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value and comply with all aspects of the Code of Practice for Statistics. Conduct of the Survey The 2016 NIHCS used electronic tablet devices to collect the data. This approach was first used in 2009 and was reviewed and enhanced for the 2011 and 2016 surveys. The bespoke software used was developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Validation and consistency checks were built into the programme, and once a survey was completed, it was uploaded and locked into a database via a secure website. The hardware had secure user identification and device-level security. The electronic approach, project management, design, administration, quality assurance analysis, and report writing were the responsibilities of the Housing Executive’s Research Unit. A total of 19 professional surveyors were employed to work on the 2016 House Condition Survey; all of whom worked on the 2006, 2009 and/or 2011 surveys. Surveyors employed were Environmental Health Officers, chartered surveyors or architects. Five experienced supervisors were responsible for advising surveyors and ensuring their work was of a consistent and satisfactory quality. All surveyors and supervisors attended a two-and-a-half-day training session before the fieldwork commenced. ReportsThe 2016 Northern Ireland House Condition Survey Report (available on the NIHE NIHCS webpage and in the study documentation) provides a comprehensive overview of Northern Ireland’s dwelling stock and its occupants in 2016 in a readily digestible format. The report concentrates on issues and developments that are of particular importance in understanding the Northern Ireland housing market. The statistical annex includes a range of tables containing information to support the description and analysis contained in the report and to provide a comprehensive reference for those requiring further details. Appendices contain information on the sampling, survey form, technical information on repair costs, the fuel poverty models, decent homes, the housing health and safety rating system, and SAP models (including the energy efficiency rating - EER). A summary report is also available on the NIHE NIHCS webpage.Latest edition informationFor the fourth edition (February 2024), the variable finaloftjb2, covering loft insulation thickness, was added to the data file.
Main Topics:
The information gathered in the physical section allows measurement of repair costs, The Decent Homes Standard, fuel poverty, SAP, HHSRS and the Fitness Standard. The archived dataset contains fuel poverty variables for both the 10% definition and Low Income High Cost definition. Care needs to be taken when identifying variables for the two different definitions. Further information on both fuel poverty definitions can be found in Appendix E of the main 2016 HCS report. Information from the social survey can be cross referenced with the physical survey data to provide an indication of the types of households living in dwellings which are in the poorest condition and most likely to fail government standards.
The E-Survey FormThe E-Survey form comprised five main sections of questions covering:
The physical attributes of each dwelling (internal and external);The physical aspects of flats and common areas;Demographic, social economic and attitudinal information on households;The front and back plot of the dwelling; the local neighbourhood and area;The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
The main areas of change between the 2011 and 2016 survey forms were the inclusion of a number of new energy items for surveyors to record and a number of social questions (including income and benefits) were harmonised with the Primary Principles as set out by the Office for National Statistics.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
