Health Equals have launched a new campaign to draw attention to the fact that one in four people live in homes that suffer from mould, damp or cold.
The group have launched an ‘absurd solution’ to the problem in the shape of Hazmat Loungewear, designed to protect the 16 million people in the UK who live in homes that could be harmful to their health.
A recent Health Equals survey revealed that 28% of UK residents live in homes affected by damp, mould or cold, rising to 42% in the West Midlands.
Low-income households are twice as likely to experience damp/mould and four times more likely to endure cold homes than wealthy households.
These conditions cause health problems such as asthma, cardiovascular issuesand mental health conditions. Nearly half of affected residents report household members experiencing related symptoms, with 61% requiring medical treatment.
This particularly impacts renters (21%), social housing tenants (23%) and families with children (47% of affected homes), resulting in missed work and school days.
To promote the campaign, Health Equals took over a retail unit in London, with television presenter and property expert Martin Roberts, and social housing activist Kwajo Tweneboa came along to reinforce the message.
Roberts said: ‘One in four Brits are living in homes that could actually make them ill. Lives are being cut short by up to 16 years, and cold, damp, and moldy homes are part of the problem.
‘So that’s why Health Equals have created this alarming hazmat loungewear display. It’s shocking, but the issue is so important and extremely distressing.
‘You think this is over the top, but actually mold and the kind of spores that mold creates is actually a health hazard.’
Tweneboa added: ‘The reality is for families living in moldy homes up and down the country is that they don’t have the protection they so desperately need.
‘I speak to families living in damp and moldy homes on a daily basis. I see the impact it has on their mental health and physical health and quite frankly it’s unacceptable and more needs to be done.’
Dr Andy Whittamore, a practising GP and Clinical Lead at Asthma + Lung UK, member of Health Equals, said: ‘No one should have to live in a home that harms their health, yet as this new research shows, that is the reality for millions of people in the UK. Living in damp or mouldy housing puts people living with chronic lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at risk of life-threatening flare-ups and means they are more likely to need emergency care. Long-term exposure to mould can also cause lung conditions like asthma in previously healthy individuals.
‘Poor lung health has the closest link with deprivation of all the major health conditions. In fact, poverty is driving poor lung health to such an extent in the UK that, shamefully, we have the highest death rate in Europe for respiratory conditions. It’s high time for urgent government action to protect the health of the most vulnerable people in our society, ensuring everyone can stay warm and well at home.’
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