Poor housing is causing health problems for almost 16 million adults in Britain during lockdown, say leading housing organisations

New figures, released as part of campaign to put social housing at the heart of Britain’s recovery from coronavirus crisis, also show that 3.7 million people are living in overcrowded homes

Poor housing is causing health problems for almost 16 million adults in Britain during lockdown, according to figures released today by five leading housing organisations.

Published to support the Homes at the Heart campaign - lead by the National Housing Federation, Chartered Institute of Housing, National Federation of ALMOs, Association of Retained Council Housing, and Crisis - that is calling for social housing to be at the heart of the government’s plans for recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, the new figures show that -

• 15.9 million adults in Britain (31 per cent of all adults) have had mental or physical health problems because of the condition of, or lack of space in, their home during lockdown;
• 3.7 million people are living in overcrowded homes, including 1.6 million children;
• 30,000 people are spending lockdown in a home that consists of one room, and more than 3,600 children are spending lockdown in a home made up of just two rooms;
• 62,580 families are living in temporary accommodation, the highest number for 13 years; and
• millions more people are spending lockdown in homes that are damp and mouldy, insecure or pushing them into debt.

NB - the figures have been compiled from analysis of English Housing Survey data and a survey of more than 4,000 people in June 2020.

Highlighting that the cause of these housing problems is a severe lack of housing in Britain, especially social housing - which is typically half the cost of, and a better standard than, privately rented homes - the campaigning organisations urge the government to put funding for new and existing social homes at the heart of the country’s recovery from coronavirus.

Commenting on the figures Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation Kate Henderson said -

“For many people, our homes have been important places of refuge and safety during this pandemic - but for countless others across the country home has felt less like a sanctuary and more like a prison. Inadequate housing and cramped conditions are making lockdown even more unbearable for millions of people right now.

Homes have been the centre of our lives during the pandemic and as the country starts to re-open, the government must put homes at the heart of the country’s recovery too. The government have said they want to end rough sleeping, rebuild communities and help the economy bounce back. Putting more money in to building new social homes, and improving the quality of existing homes, will help achieve all of these things - more jobs, a boost to the economy, and affordable, high quality places for people to live and communities to thrive.”

For more information, see Poor housing causing health problems for nearly a third of brits during lockdown from the NHF website.