Teachers and students in Lewisham are facing dire circumstances as they grapple with mould-infested and damp homes that led to significant absences.

Eleven headteachers from the borough wrote an open letter to the council underscoring how below-standard housing conditions are severely impacting the education of children. The letter asks the council to address the housing crisis as an urgent matter.

They wrote: “Poor housing conditions directly impact children’s education. We as headteachers have seen that children living in inadequate housing are more likely to experience disruptions in their education due to frequent moves in temporary accommodation, overcrowding, lack of quiet study spaces, and exposure to environmental toxins such as mould and issues with sanitation. This is impacting on children’s attendance and thus attainment and social skills.

“These challenges create barriers to learning such as poor attendance due to recurring illnesses, punctuality due to further travel to and from school, and tiredness due to lack of sleep, all of which contribute to academic underachievement.

“Beyond the educational implications, inadequate housing jeopardises the overall health and well-being of our community, especially our children. From respiratory problems caused by black mould and damp to increased stress and anxiety resulting from unsafe living conditions, the physical and mental health of our young people are at risk when they are forced to live in substandard housing.”

Dr Aaminah Verity, a GP in Deptford, echoed these concerns to the News Shopper: “We’re seeing people with really severe anxiety and depression often linked to stress about their housing situation, but then also respiratory conditions, so asthma, COPD because of the mould people are living with, skin conditions. 

“The temporary accommodation situation is really out of control. We see lots of people unable to come to appointments because they’re getting moved all over the place. It’s very difficult for us to be able to provide care when they’re so far away.” 

A rally was organised and attended by teachers, students, residents, and healthcare professionals to serve as a platform to demand action from local authorities in early March. Lewisham Citizens and Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network organised an assembly where mayoral candidates at the time were pressed on their commitment to addressing the housing crisis at Rushey Green Primary School.

Brenda Dacres from the Labour Party and Michael Herron from the Green Party pledged to prioritise the issue.

According to figures from the All Parliamentary Group, as of autumn 2023, there were over 2,600 families from Lewisham living in temporary accommodation, representing a significant challenge for local authorities. 

Responding to the outcry, Councillor Will Cooper, Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Homelessness told Eastlondonlines: “In Lewisham, we have a commitment to being open and accessible with residents. I have met with Lewisham Citizens about our shared goals of safe and secure homes and will be meeting with them with the new Mayor in the coming weeks.” 

“Housing is an urgent issue for Lewisham, as it is across the country. We have over 10,000 families on our housing waiting list and more than 2,700 families stuck in temporary accommodation, representing a significant and rising financial burden. We always try to allocate suitable temporary housing within the borough but this is not always possible, especially when responding to urgent cases.”

Cooper added: “After years of central government cuts to our budget, it has been increasingly difficult for the council to make ends meet. Despite this, Lewisham Council is building new social homes in the borough. In parallel, we are investing in our housing stock, which requires substantial and ongoing investment to maintain and improve.”

“Lewisham Council is committed to improving the quality of our housing to make sure we are providing safe and decent homes. Our budget for 2024/25 allocates around £80 million to spend on improvements where they’re most needed.”

“We are also engaging in a survey of our housing stock during 2024, for which we will be checking the condition of our buildings and residents’ homes throughout the borough, so we can capture where investment is most urgent. We are developing our plans for investment in our buildings for 2025/26 and beyond.”