Another child sick after living in squalor: When will the government wake up to Britain’s housing crisis?

Editorial: Zainab Hamid suffered breathing problems as a result of the black mould covering the walls and ceilings of a one-bedroomed housing association flat in Westminster, The Independent can reveal

Zainab’s suffering is a reminder that rich and poor live cheek by jowl in some parts of this country (Supplied)

The case of a four-year-old girl hospitalised after living in mould-ridden squalor, revealed today by The Independent, is the latest example of a UK housing crisis that gets less attention from our politicians and media than it deserves.

Zainab Hamid suffered breathing problems as a result of the black mould covering the walls and ceilings of a one-bedroomed housing association flat in Westminster – a reminder that rich and poor live cheek by jowl in some parts of this country. Thankfully, her family was told they will move into new accommodation – but only after we highlighted the issue.

Other families living in conditions that should shame Britain were not so fortunate. Two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould at a one-bedroom housing association flat in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. His parents had repeatedly complained about the conditions.