Half of children in England live in homes at risk of overheating

Half of children in England live in homes at risk of overheating

Children are suffering in hot homes across the UK as the country experiences increasingly warmer temperatures. Families are struggling to find relief in their homes, with many describing their living conditions as unbearable. One mother, Keisha, explains that her top-floor flat in Woolwich can reach up to 43C in the summer, making her daughter sick and unable to regulate her temperature.

A recent analysis by the Resolution Foundation think tank reveals that almost 5.5 million children in England are living in homes at risk of overheating, with over a million of those children residing in London, primarily in social housing. The Foundation is calling on the government to ensure that the costs of remedying hot homes are affordable for those on low-to-middle incomes who may not have the means to invest in cooling solutions for their properties.

The UK’s building regulations have traditionally focused on retaining heat for the temperate climate, leading to homes that are ill-equipped to handle extreme temperatures. This architectural crisis is forcing families to spend more on utility bills to stay cool, with some homes reaching unbearable temperatures that affect the residents’ health and well-being. The Resolution Foundation emphasizes the need for a national strategy to address overheating in homes, ensuring that both new and existing properties are adapted to withstand the challenges posed by climate change.

It’s not just the middle of summer when homes become unbearably hot – even in early spring or late autumn, temperatures inside can rise to uncomfortable levels. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health highlights the vulnerability of young children to heat-related illness and urges governments to work with the housing sector to improve the resilience of homes against extreme temperatures. As the climate crisis worsens, there is an urgent need to address the unsafe and unhealthy housing stock in the UK to protect the health of children and families

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