THE health of a million children is suffering because of dire overcrowding from the housing crisis, a damning new report has found.
Analysis of Government figures has revealed a shocking 130,000 families are being forced to live in one-bedroom flats.
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Parents often have to share beds with their kids or sleep in kitchens, bathrooms or hallways because of the lack of space, the report by the National Housing Federation unearthed.
More than four out of five families in the overcrowded homes – 87% – have had health problems as a result.
That includes getting sick more often, taking longer to recover from illness, and metal health problems.
As many as around 1.2m children could be suffering.
The main cause of overcrowding is the lack of new homes to move into that are affordable.
The NHF’s chief executive Kate Henderson last night dubbed the grim findings “yet another devastating impact of the broken housing market”.
She added: “This is having a huge impact on more than a million children, seriously affecting their start in life.
“For decades, successive governments have failed to invest in social housing, and families are paying the price.”
The nation needs 145,000 new social homes every year, but only 6,000 social-rented homes were built.
