BRE (Building Research Establishment) is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.

In 2014 a ‘Bletchley Day’ workshop was organised by Care & Repair England. BRE was tasked with considering ways to demonstrate the investment value of home adaptations and modifications.

BRE researched some of the cost-benefits to the NHS of undertaking preventative home interventions for households with a long-term sickness or disability, where the risks of accidents in their home are worse than the national average. This identified the need for preventative work in around 3 million households who have a long-term sickness and disability. This work would make their homes safer and warmer and so would reduce the likelihood of NHS treatment and the need for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) adaptation required as a result of injury.

On 29 April 2016, BRE published The cost-benefit to the NHS arising from preventative housing interventions (FB82) by Helen Garrett, Mike Roys, Selina Burris and Simon Nicol.