A peer support group for hoarders in Wirral, Merseyside, run by Prima Group housing association, is providing a safe forum for people to open up about their condition, as a Guardian investigation reveals a 78% increase in hoarding-related fires recorded by UK fire services since 2020.
Stories from the group
At a recent session, Tony*, who showers at his local leisure centre daily, explained that his landlord won't fix his bathroom because of hoarding. Sarah* became homeless with her three teenagers after eviction due to hoarding, and in her new home the problem has recurred, but she fears asking for help. Sian Cowley, 35, who has struggled with hoarding for decades, said: “I’ve lived without central heating for two years. A lot of us live without the basics like hot water, heating and cooking because we are too scared to get people in to do repairs because of the threat of eviction.”
Fire service data
The Guardian found that since 2020, UK fire services have recorded a 78% increase in fires involving hoarding or dangerous storage. Thousands of homes are logged as high-risk, with London alone flagging over 2,000 properties last year, up from 1,200 four years earlier. Hoarding was formally classified as a mental health condition by the World Health Organization in 2018.
Stigma and fear
Laura Miller, 65, who was offered help after falling on stairs cluttered with items, said: “You’re better off being a drug addict. You’re better off being an alcoholic. Programmes about hoarders on TV have just perpetuated it as some kind of entertainment.” Chloe*, who began hoarding after her mother’s suicide, added: “As soon as you say you’re a hoarder, people think you’ve got 10,000 cats and loads of cockroaches.”
National hoarding pledge
Prima Group has launched a first-of-its-kind national hoarding pledge for housing providers, promising to work with residents and get them help instead of spending on enforced clearances or evictions. Jenny Devon, a sustainment and cohesion manager at Prima Group, said: “What happens a lot is they get a skip and send people to clear the whole place. But it’s that person’s stuff. It’s such a personal thing, it’s not rubbish. It just needs more empathy.”
Expert views
Jo Cooke, director of Hoarding Disorders UK, said that in nearly 15 years, she has never known an enforced clearance or eviction to help. “When the threat is looming, it will only increase hoarding behaviours,” she said. According to the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (Iriss), almost 100% of people who experience a property clearance without behavioural therapy will regress to hoarding more rapidly.
Personal recovery
Ruth Cookson, 53, a Prima resident who helped set up Bringing Hoarders Together four years ago, struggled with hoarding for decades. After her home was flagged during a gas safety check, she ignored letters fearing eviction. During Covid lockdown, she sought help. “I just couldn’t cope. I didn’t want to hoard, but I didn’t know where to turn,” she said. Now her home is safe and clean, she plans to get a cat and helps others in the group. “I’m living proof you can do it,” she said.
*Names have been changed.
