Housing and health: Kerrie’s story

We all deserve a place to call home – somewhere that keeps us warm and makes us feel safe, where we can put our roots down and connects us to our friends, family, local community, and access what we need to get by.  But some of us face a brick wall when it comes to housing – high costs, having to move frequently, uncertainty over where we’ll live, or unsafe roofs over our heads.   

Meet Kerrie, a 26-year-old student living in Cambridge, who has experienced housing instability throughout her life. She told us her personal experience of how disrupted housing has impacted her health in recent years. 

For as long as she can remember, Kerrie has lived with disrupted housing – something that’s only worsened since she became a care leaver. 

She’s currently homeless; her fourth time in temporary accommodation after being evicted from her student housing in September 2024. 

These ongoing disruptions and instability in her housing situation have taken a heavy toll on both her physical and mental health. 

Worsening health

In 2020, Kerrie had two negative experiences in privately rented accommodation. 

Shortly after she moved in, thick, black mould appeared and covered the walls. After the landlord refused to fix it, the exposure to mould lead to her being admitted to hospital and being diagnosed with asthma. 

Trying to manage these health issues meant she struggled to hold down her job, which she eventually lost. 

The environmental health department were called in after the hospital contacted social services, deeming the flat unfit to live in. But Kerrie was forced to go back after the landlord supposedly fixed the problems. 

When she returned, the mould had simply been painted over, and things had gotten even worse – maggots in the flat, a heater that didn’t work, and a front door that wouldn’t lock. 

She was then served a Section 21 eviction notice, which she believes was in retaliation for the council’s involvement. Unable to work and living on benefits, Kerrie couldn’t find another place to live. 

The landlord even blocked her from accessing local letting agents, leaving her without any options. Once again, she found herself homeless, squatting or sleeping on the streets through the winter months. Eventually, she found a place on OpenRent, but it felt like a lifeline after a long struggle. 

Living in temporary accommodation 

Fast forward to February 2025, and Kerrie finds herself in temporary accommodation yet again.  

Mentally, being back in temporary accommodation has been incredibly tough. It’s not just the trauma of everything she’s experienced before, but the constant feeling of alienation. She’s lost friends and opportunities to socialise, which only adds to her sense of isolation.  

Housing insecurity and instability has impacted both my mental and physical health. Mentally, being back in temporary accommodation has really affected my depression and trauma. I’ve also found it incredibly alienating being homeless and I’ve lost friends and socialising opportunities.

Physically, the constant uncertainty has been exhausting. Kerrie struggles with chronic fatigue, and not having a stable place to rest has made everything harder.  

The uncertainty has made me really stressed, and staying out all day has been exhausting. My accommodation is also very remote, it’s not anywhere near campus and a 30-minute walk to the nearest bus stop, which has also impacted my hunger levels.

One of the worst parts about the constant moving is how difficult it is to access healthcare. “When you move around a lot, it’s hard to access GP services or have any continuity of care,” she says. And mental health care is even harder to get. The waiting lists for secondary services are long, and by the time Kerrie reaches the top, she could be living in a completely different area or no longer eligible for care. It’s a frustrating cycle that’s only added to her stress. 

Fighting for change

Even with all the setbacks and struggles, Kerrie’s experiences have fuelled her determination to make a change in the housing system. She is currently studying Politics at the University of Cambridge and was inspired to do so from her own experiences of the housing system and her passion to improve it, especially for care-experienced people.

Kerrie’s is just one of many first-hand stories we’ve heard about the impact of housing on our physical and mental health.

Explore the stories