UK lives are being cut short by up to 16 years due to issues such as mould and damp

UK lives are being cut short by up to 16 years – due to issues such as life-threatening mould, cold and damp in the home.

Campaign group Health Equals believe things such as housing, air quality, and income are all factors in reducing the lives of UK citizens.

To highlight the problem, they treated shoppers to a bizarre sight – hazmat onesies seemingly for sale on one of London’s busiest shopping streets.

Ahead of the Christmas shopping season, a shopfront was populated by actors wearing the cosy all-in-ones, with a twist.

The Hazmat loungewear suits offer an absurd solution to the real problem millions of Brits face in their own homes today.

The eye-catching stunt had a serious message – as vinyl stickers on the window highlighted how many UK homes are riddled with life-threatening mould or damp.

Health Equals [www.healthequals.org.uk] worked with TV property expert Martin Roberts, who said: “After more than two decades visiting thousands of homes across the UK, I’ve seen first-hand how damp, cold and mould can destroy both a property and the wellbeing of the people living in it.

“It’s not just unsightly, it’s in the very fabric of people’s properties as well as, more importantly, their health.

“Good housing is the foundation for good health. You can’t expect people to thrive if the very place they’re meant to feel safe is actually making them sick.

“That’s why I’m proud to support this campaign; because everyone deserves to live in a warm, dry, safe and healthy home.”

The campaign is also backed by housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, who said: “Damp, mould and disrepair are symptoms of a much deeper inequality in this country.

“I’ve spent years meeting families who are trying to raise their children in homes that would fail even the most basic standards – properties that landlords or councils should have fixed long ago.

“That’s why this campaign is so important. It doesn’t just highlight the problem; it’s demanding real change.

“Stronger laws to make every landlord take responsibility, proper funding to repair homes, and a cross-government plan to make sure no one’s health is determined by their postcode or income.”

Research of 3,982 people commissioned by the group also found 28 per cent reported living with issues such as damp, mould or cold.

Over a third 37 per cent also live with people that have underlying health conditions, such as asthma or heart failure, that may increase their vulnerability.

Nearly two thirds (66 per cent), however, are concerned about the potential impact on energy bills, which rises to 84 per cent of those living with condensation, damp or mould.

Around half (53 per cent) think private landlords are responsible for maintaining privately rented properties, but 76 per cent agree the government should implement a plan to prevent health inequalities.

Dr Andy Whittamore, a practising GP and Clinical Lead at Asthma + Lung UK, member of Health Equals, said: “No one should have to live in a home that harms their health, yet as this new research shows, that is the reality for millions of people in the UK.

“Living in damp or mouldy housing puts people living with chronic lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at risk of life-threatening flare-ups and means they are more likely to need emergency care.

“Long-term exposure to mould can also cause lung conditions like asthma in previously healthy individuals.

“It’s high time for urgent government action to protect the health of the most vulnerable people in our society, ensuring everyone can stay warm and well at home.”