As the UK emerges from another harsh winter, new data highlights the growing health impact of poor housing conditions.
The UK Health Security Agency’s first Cold Mortality Monitoring Report recorded an estimated 2,544 cold-related deaths during winter 2024–2025. Newly released NHS figures now show the wider scale of harm.
A Freedom of Information request submitted by PureBuilt identified just under 40,000 NHS cases in 2024 where cold homes, damp, mould or poor housing conditions contributed to serious respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
Separate analysis published in February 2026 by Asthma and Lung UK found that emergency pneumonia admissions rose by 25% between 2022–2023 and 2024–2025, reaching 579,475 cases. Cold, damp and mouldy homes were identified as a leading cause.
A 2025 survey by Health Equals found that 28% of UK adults report living in homes affected by damp, mould or cold.
Regions most affected
London recorded the highest number of housing-related health cases in 2024, with 8,335 cases linked to environmental issues and inadequate housing.
The 10 worst affected regions were
- London: 8,335 total cases
- Greater Manchester: 1,825
- Cheshire and Merseyside: 1,515
- Kent and Medway: 1,080
- North East and North Cumbria: 1,035
- Birmingham and Solihull: 990
- West Yorkshire: 930
- Sussex: 865
- Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire: 830
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight: 795
Greater Manchester and Cheshire and Merseyside reported high levels of asthma and COPD linked to damp and mould.
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin recorded the fewest cases nationally, with 60.
Age groups most impacted
Working-age adults accounted for the majority of hospital admissions linked to poor housing conditions.
- Ages 18–64: 26,915 cases
- Ages 65 and over: 9,715 cases
- Ages 0–4: 1,330 cases
- Ages 5–17: 1,095 cases
Children under five were affected by conditions including bronchiolitis, asthma and respiratory infections. Older adults remained highly vulnerable, with previous findings showing men aged 85 and over among the most at risk during cold periods.
Energy schemes ending as new plan develops
The government confirmed in January 2026 that the Energy Company Obligation scheme, ECO4, will be extended by nine months until 31st December 2026. No successor obligation or carry-over mechanism has been announced.
The Great British Insulation Scheme will end on 31st March 2026.
A new £15 billion Warm Homes Plan aims to upgrade up to 5 million homes and lift 1 million families out of fuel poverty by 2030. However, eligibility criteria and application processes are still being finalised.
Concerns over insulation quality
The ECO4 extension follows a National Audit Office report published in October 2025, which found widespread issues with insulation work. The report found that 98% of homes with external wall insulation required remediation, and 29% of internal insulation installations had major failings. Ofgem estimated that between 5,600 and 16,500 homes may have been linked to fraudulent claims, with between £56 million and £165 million potentially claimed unlawfully. At a Public Accounts Committee hearing in November 2025, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s permanent secretary described the situation as “unacceptable.”
Michael Davie, home improvement specialist at PureBuilt, said: “This data makes one thing painfully clear: cold homes are not just an inconvenience; they are a direct threat to public health. No family should be forced to choose between heating, eating or staying healthy, yet thousands are living in conditions that actively worsen respiratory and cardiovascular disease.”
He added that the NHS is bearing the cost of a preventable problem and warned that uncertainty around future schemes is leaving households at risk.
“The NAO’s findings on installation quality make it even more important that future programmes prioritise proper oversight and skilled workmanship. Without accessible, fully funded programmes for insulation and heating upgrades, these health inequalities will deepen, and next winter will be no different.”
5 ways households can access support
Michael Davie outlined several ways households can seek help
- Check national and local grants including the Warm Homes: Local Grant, which offers up to £30,000 per household through local authorities
- Use the government Energy Performance Certificate register to assess property efficiency and eligibility
- Request a free home energy assessment to identify cost-effective improvements
- Explore health-based referral schemes through GPs, NHS trusts and local authorities
- Apply early before ECO4 ends in December 2026 and before new schemes are finalised