Today we took action at Whitehall to demand action on insulation and tell Wes Streeting he must back the Warm Homes Plan!
A coalition of health workers, renters and campaigners gathered outside the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered a powerful message: the UK’s housing crisis is a public health emergency, and it’s time for the government to act.
We delivered an open letter to the Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging the government to honour its election promise to reduce energy bills and allocate at least £13.2 billion to a nationwide Warm Homes Plan in the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Plan. We’re calling for:
- A fully funded Warm Homes Plan, in line with election promises
- Investment in green jobs, skills, and training
- Stronger protections for renters after upgrades are completed
- Delivery of high-quality home retrofits.
At the heart of the action was a haunting visual: NHS staff standing behind a life-sized “sick home” model, symbolising the damp, cold and poorly insulated homes that continue to make millions of people ill and place enormous strain on the NHS.
Recent media reports suggest that the Chancellor is considering reducing the funding available to insulate homes. The UK has some of the worst insulated homes in Europe. For every one unit of heat lost in a typical German home, three are lost in the UK equivalent. This inefficiency is more than an environmental concern – it’s a direct threat to public health.
Nearly 8.8 million people spent the past winter living in ‘Dickensian conditions’, exposed to damp and cold that worsen respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular conditions, and mental health issues. Children living in cold homes are twice as likely to develop respiratory illnesses and are more likely to miss school or suffer from lower academic attainment and bullying. Elderly and vulnerable people are particularly at risk, often forced to choose between food and heating.
Medact Members, frontline NHS workers, report the daily toll of this crisis. Dr Jasmin Abbott, an A&E doctor, described patients arriving hypothermic or struggling with chronic breathing problems directly caused by their housing conditions. Others, she said, simply can’t afford to heat their homes, choosing instead to sleep at work or skip meals.
This situation isn’t just cruel – it’s expensive. The NHS currently spends over £500 million annually on illnesses linked to cold homes.
Polling data released today shows that nearly half of Labour voters (48%) considered home insulation a deciding factor in their 2024 vote. Any retreat from this commitment would dramatically erode public trust – 46% of Labour voters say such a move would reduce their confidence in the government, and over half of wavering Labour supporters say it could push them toward other parties.
With 87% of voters saying that parties should stick to their manifestos, campaigners warn that this is not just about policy – it’s about political survival. As Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition put it: “It’s now a case of heat or defeat.”
Beyond the immediate health and economic benefits, properly insulating homes would also reduce emissions, support energy security, and help meet climate targets. Elaine Mulcahy of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change emphasised that such investment would “pay for itself through avoided health and climate costs” while boosting manufacturing and job creation.
This protest was not just about one day in Whitehall – it was about ensuring dignity, health, and safety for millions of people. It was a demand that government promises be honoured, not hollowed out. And most importantly, it was a reminder that good housing policy is essential to our health.
If the government listens, it has a chance to not only fulfil its pledges but to build a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable future. If it doesn’t, the cost will be counted not just in pounds – but in lives.
