Radioactivity - radon
Radon
In some areas of the UK, naturally occurring radon poses a health risk to a relatively small number of people in their homes.
Since 1987 over 400,000 government-funded tests have been carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) on individual buildings. These have enabled it to build up a country-wide map of radon levels, and helped thousands of individual householders to make their homes safe. The Government is using the map as the basis for its action plan.
On 1 April 2005 the NRPB merged with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) .
Defra’s Radon programme ended on the 31 March 2005. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) are continuing with a similar programme. This will be financed by Defra until 2007. Defra will continue to maintain a watching brief on any radon related developing issues and review the need to take a more active role in the future.
More information on radon can be found at:
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Radon: a guide for homebuyers and sellers (PDF 1.6 MB - note large file size) - November 2004
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Radon - you can test for it! (PDf 700 KB) - December 2004
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Radon: a householder's guide (PDF 250 KB) - September 2004
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Radon: a guide to reducing levels in your home (PDF 250 KB) - April 2005
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Page last modified 9 June 2008
Page published 25 October 1999