Action needed to ensure homes are safe, say NHF and CIH

Roughly one in six babies in England are living in overheated homes, according to research by the National Housing Federation (NHF) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).

Overheating carries particularly serious health risks for children under five, who are less able to regulate temperature and manage dehydration.

shutterstock_2499063155

Source: Shutterstock

The threat is especially severe for babies, increasing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Parents are advised to keep rooms between 16°C to 20°C, which is difficult to do in English homes which are not designed to keep cool in high temperatures.

Heatwaves are becoming more common in England, with temperatures reaching 40°C in 2022 for the first time in recorded history. According to the Met Office, the likelihood of such extreme heat events has tripled since 2000.

As well as more serious risks, overheating is also associated with fatigue, headaches, dizziness, nausea, fever and changes in mood.

YouGov polling commissioned by the NHF found that nearly a third of parents (31%) experienced overheating that was harming their children’s physical health, with three-quarters (71%) saying it was disrupting sleep.

More than a quarter (29%) said it impacted their children’s mental health and nearly half (49%) said it affected their children’s ability to concentrate. 

“It’s now clear that increasingly extreme heatwaves are making it impossible for parents, whatever they do, to make their homes completely safe and comfortable,” said Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation.

“These survey results show that overheating is already affecting large numbers of children, disrupting their sleep, harming their health and putting the youngest babies at particular risk.”

Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, stressed the need for stronger building regulations around overheating and urged the government to “consider policies that will support people with the energy costs of keeping cool during future heatwaves.”