Killer mould is a sad reality of child poverty for millions

Editorial: Unhealthy housing stock and an inadequate benefits system shame a rich and supposedly compassionate nation

Many people struggle to properly heat their homes to keep them dry and mould free (Supplied)

One of the many examples of the disconnection between politics and real life is the current Westminster obsession with a scheme to remove asylum seekers to Rwanda, while the grip of poverty tightens on one in three families with children under the age of six.

As our report details, millions of young children are exposed to life-threatening mould in British homes as their parents struggle to afford to heat them. Mould is a problem in many damp and cold homes, causing health problems, such as those that led to the death of Awaab Ishak, a toddler in Rochdale, three years ago.

But many parents cannot afford to ventilate their homes or to heat them well, having to choose between heating and eating. These problems are getting worse for those who rely on state support, as electricity and gas prices have risen while benefits are squeezed in real terms.