Children growing up in damp or overcrowded housing miss an average of three weeks more school over their education than their peers, according to significant new research. The study also links poor housing conditions to lower exam scores, highlighting a stark inequality in educational outcomes.
The Impact on Attendance and Achievement
Researchers from University College London (UCL) and City, University of London analysed data from 7,000 children born between 2000 and 2002, who are part of the Millennium Cohort Study. After accounting for factors like parental income and education, they found a clear pattern.
Children living in what was classified as lower-quality housing at age seven missed 15.5 more days of school between Years 1 and 11. These pupils also scored between 2% and 5% lower in English and maths tests during both primary and secondary school.
Lead author Dr Gergo Baranyi from the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies explained the multiple ways poor housing undermines learning. "Children living in overcrowded and damp homes tend to experience more health problems so are likely to miss more school and may find it difficult to catch up," he said.
How Housing Conditions Disrupt Learning
The study defined lower-quality housing as homes suffering from at least two issues, including damp, overcrowding, or a lack of central heating. Within the cohort, 15% lived with damp, 12% in overcrowded homes, and 16% overall were in poor-quality housing.
Dr Baranyi detailed the daily challenges: "In more overcrowded households, kids have less space to study, or there might be more disturbances... they may not be able to sleep that much because they have to share the room with other siblings." This environment reduces a child's ability to concentrate on homework and exam preparation.
While damp and overcrowding were most strongly linked to higher absence, cold and overcrowded homes showed the strongest association with poorer exam results, particularly at GCSE level.
Wider Context and Calls for Action
The findings come amid a persistent school absence crisis in England. The latest figures show 17.6% of pupils are persistently absent (missing 10% or more of school), a rate still above pre-pandemic levels. Severely absent pupils, missing half or more sessions, rose to 2.3% in 2024/25.
Disadvantage plays a key role: nearly a third (31%) of pupils receiving free school meals were persistently absent in the 2024/25 academic year.
Health charities emphasised the direct impact. Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive of Asthma and Lung UK, stated: "Living in damp, cold and mouldy homes puts children with asthma... at higher risk of life-threatening asthma attacks," leading to emergency care and disrupted schooling.
The researchers, Dr Baranyi and co-author Dr Sierra Clark, argue that improving housing conditions would yield significant benefits for children's health and education, helping to narrow deep-seated inequalities.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government pointed to Awaab's Law, which forces social landlords to address damp and mould within strict timeframes, as part of the government's urgent action to ensure children have a healthy foundation for learning.
