How do our homes shape our health?

An affordable, warm, stable and safe place to call home is a cornerstone of good health and should be available to all of us. But right now, millions of people face a brick wall when it comes to where we live. When our homes are unsafe — because of damp, cold, mould, or disrepair — or we face the stress of rising costs or the potential of losing our home altogether, these all impact our health. 

In England, one in three of us — that’s around (7.5 million) households — face at least one housing problem. Of these, around a million deal with more than one issue, such as unaffordable costs, poor quality homes, or overcrowding. In 2023, over 310,000 children in England were living in overcrowded homes, with many having no choice but to share a bed with parents or siblings. 

The quality of our home matters

When we live in a home that isn’t ‘decent’ — meaning it poses health hazards, isn’t in good repair, lacks modern facilities, or isn’t properly insulated or heated — we’re more likely to experience poor health. Across the UK, 15 million people live in homes with issues like damp, cold or mould. When people are struggling to afford heating, they’re less likely to open windows or use ventilation, which only makes mould, damp, and indoor air pollution worse. 

Even today, hundreds of thousands go without essentials. In 2024, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported that around 1.6 million low-income households had turned off their fridge or freezer to save money, and nearly 7 million families said they’d cut back on using appliances because of rising costs.

Many of us simply can’t afford our housing costs

High housing costs are another major source of stress. When so much of our income goes on rent or mortgage payments, it leaves less money for other essentials, like nutritious food or heating. 

In 2024, around 32% of private renters were spending more than a third of their income on housing, compared with 14% of social renters and just 3% of homeowners. Crisis research supported by Health Equals found that now just 2.7% of listed properties for rent are affordable for people relying on universal credit. Rising interest rates mean that people with mortgages are also feeling the squeeze. 

Due to a lack of affordable or social housing, thousands of people are living in temporary accommodation or are rough sleeping. 

Because of a shortage of affordable and social housing, thousands of people are now living in temporary accommodation or even sleeping rough. In England, over 131,140 households are in temporary accommodation — including nearly 170,000 children. In Scotland, that figure is 17,240 households. 

Temporary accommodation can take a huge toll on physical and emotional health, especially for children. Research from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Temporary Accommodation has documented experiences of mental distress, trauma, feeling unsafe, and poor living conditions, including mould, damp, and a lack of basic appliances. Shelter found that two-thirds of families in temporary accommodation have been there for more than a year, and some for over a decade. 

Too many people don’t have anywhere to call ‘home’

Official figures suggest that more than 5,000 people are sleeping rough across the UK, but the real number is likely much higher. Many people are “hidden homeless”, staying in shelters or sleeping on friends’ sofas. 

The health impacts of homelessness are severe. One study  found that people aged 38–74 living in a London hostel had, on average, seven health conditions — and were as frail as people in their late 80s. The average age of death for people with homelessness recorded on their death certificate is just 43 for women and 45 for men. 

How policy shapes our health

The housing crisis isn’t inevitable — it’s the result of policy choices. Right now, there simply aren’t enough affordable homes across the UK. 

Research by Heriot-Watt University, commissioned by Crisis, shows that England needs to build 340,000 homes a year until 2031 to meet demand — including 145,000 affordable homes and 90,000 social homes. In 2023–24, only 62,289 affordable homes were actually built. 

We need politicians to step up. We need to build more social homes. Shelter found there are over 1 million households waiting for social housing and are calling for the government to build more social homes and protect and improve the current social housing stock.  

Some steps have been taken to help, such as the UK Government’s 7% rent cap for social housing and Scotland’s temporary rent cap for private tenants. But both have limits, and rents are still rising faster than wages or housing support. That’s why Crisis is campaigning for housing benefit to cover the true cost of rent.  

We also need security. The UK Government has introduced the Renters’ Rights Act that will ban Section 21 notices, which allow landlords to serve a ‘no-fault’ eviction. This means a person no longer has to leave their home with two months’ notice without the landlord having to provide a reason. Being evicted by Section 21 notice has been cited as a cause of stress and health issues for tenants. 

Decision makers can make a difference. Awaab’s Law, brought into force in 2025 after the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from mould exposure, now requires social landlords to investigate and fix hazards within strict timelines. However, this protection doesn’t yet extend to private renters. 

The Renters’ Rights Act will also – eventually – require private rented homes meet the same quality standards expected of social housing, through legislating for the Decent Homes Standard.  

But the government has not announced a date for when the changes will be brought into force. In particular, they have proposed to delay the full introduction of the Decent Homes Standard for private renters until 2035. This must be fully enforced far sooner – we cannot have another decade where lives are cut short by unhealthy homes.  

All of us need a safe, warm, and affordable home to stay healthy – but so many of us don’t have one. Taking action now will start to put this right so we can live healthier, longer lives. 

This explainer, informed by evidence from Health Equals members Crisis, Food Foundation, Global Action Plan, People’s Health Trust, and Shelter, was originally published in 2023 and updated in 2025.