Written evidence submitted by Social Workers Union [HCE 016]

RE: Evidence Submission – Housing Conditions in England

On behalf of the Social Workers Union (SWU), I am writing to provide evidence to the Committee’s inquiry into the condition of housing in England, with a particular focus on the devastating impact that poor housing – including hazards like damp and mould – is having on children, families, and the most vulnerable members of our communities.

It may be that you and some of your colleagues on the Committee were previously contacted about this research when it was released at the start of the year due to their involvement on other committees or APPGs. Due to the serious nature of the findings, however, we feel it is important for us to make a formal submission to your inquiry.

Research from SWU and ITV News, involving over 2,000 frontline social workers, paints a stark and disturbing picture of the housing crisis facing the country. Over a fifth (21%) of social workers supporting children and families reported that they had been involved in cases over the last three years where children were removed from their families in part due to unsafe or inappropriate housing conditions. These included severe issues such as damp, mould, vermin infestations, chronic disrepair and overcrowding – often made worse by unaffordable energy bills which prevent families from heating or maintaining their homes.

Across England, 78% of social workers strongly agreed that unsafe housing conditions are a major concern for the people they support. More than a third (36%) reported a rise in the number of individuals and families living in unsafe housing in the past three years. Regional disparities are particularly concerning: in the North East, London and Wales, over 40% of social workers said that poor housing was a serious and growing issue.

These conditions are not just statistical concerns – they are placing children’s safety, development and health at risk. Colleagues in the NHS have highlighted a rise in respiratory illness, poor mental health, and undernutrition linked to cold and damp homes. Social workers are being forced into impossible situations, with some witnessing children removed from families because the housing is quite simply too dangerous to live in.

We are clear that children should never be removed from families simply because of poverty or housing disrepair. Yet social workers are now routinely encountering cases where unsafe housing is a critical factor placing children at risk – and with limited options to intervene or secure timely repairs or alternative accommodation, these situations can escalate with tragic consequences.

We urge the Committee to recognise that the general condition of many homes in England – especially those in the rental sector – has reached a point of crisis. Damp and mould are not isolated issues, but symptoms of systemic neglect, underinvestment and weak enforcement. The long-term underfunding of local authorities and housing providers has left services unable to meet demand, and there has been no large-scale government investment in upgrading the housing stock for decades.

To begin addressing this, we support calls for immediate investment in housing repairs and retrofits, alongside a fully funded Warm Homes Plan to improve insulation and heating. We also support stronger enforcement powers for local authorities and proper resourcing for the social housing regulator.

We would welcome the opportunity to present this evidence in person or contribute to oral hearings as the inquiry progresses.

August 2025