Cold Creates Mould: Unknown Health Risk of the Cost of Living Crisis

• As the air get’s colder, there is more moisture in the air.
• When moisture condenses in people’s homes, it can create the perfect environment for mould growth.
• This is a risk to those with pre-existing respiratory conditions because of the potentially harmful spores in the air.

The increased growth of black mould is causing severe consequences to people who already have to choose between heating and eating this winter.

Souring energy bills are forcing people to choose everyday essentials like food over the ability to keep their homes warm. This is creating the perfect growing conditions for black mould because water vapour in the air is condensing around cold spots in their homes.

Areas, like windows, are often colder than the air inside the house, which allows moisture to build up around them. When the water in the air hits those surfaces, it turns back into droplets and seeps into the walls.

In previous years, moisture build-up would have been prevented by central heating, because it warms the air and prevents condensation. However, 2 in 5 people are now unable to heat their homes, making them vulnerable to black mould exposure.

Black mould is known to release harmful spores. For some, simply touching or inhaling the spores can lead to an asthma attack or an allergic reaction. For the majority, however, they can cause coughing, sneezing and chest infections.

However, mould poses more of a risk to those with pre-existing respiratory conditions like long COVID. Those with more severe illnesses even run the risk of being hospitalised.

It’s currently estimated that roughly 2 Million people are suffering from symptoms of long COVID. One teenager vocalised his anxiety around black mould growth in his home, stating, “I’ve had long COVID for over 2 years now.

“I caught COVID from my sibling just before Christmas in 2020 and since then I haven’t been able to taste and smell. The cost of living crisis has forced my parents to cut down on the amount we heat our home. I’ve started noticing some black mould growing around the house.

“I’m now worried because I have both long COVID and asthma, which both can get worse because of black mould. But we can’t afford to put the heating on long enough to stop the mould from growing.”

The government has already promised £650 Million to support low-income households over the winter. However, according to an IPSOS poll, only 19% of people think that the Conservatives can reduce their family’s cost of living.

This crisis could very quickly turn from “cost of living” to costing lives and as people continue struggling to heat their homes, black mould will be a key concern for public health.