{"id":28,"date":"2026-08-04T10:50:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/?guide=damp-and-mould-health-effects-what-nhs-guidance-actually-says"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:50:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:50:25","slug":"damp-and-mould-health-effects-what-nhs-guidance-actually-says","status":"publish","type":"guide","link":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/?guide=damp-and-mould-health-effects-what-nhs-guidance-actually-says","title":{"rendered":"Damp and Mould Health Effects: What NHS Guidance Actually Says"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This guide summarises what NHS-affiliated sources say about the health effects of damp and mould. It&#8217;s not a substitute for medical advice &mdash; if you or a family member has ongoing breathing problems, skin issues, or other symptoms you think may be linked to damp or mould in your home, see your GP.<\/p>\n<h2>How common is it?<\/h2>\n<p>NHS-affiliated guidance (Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust) states that almost 1 in 3 homes in England have some degree of damp and mould, and that it&#8217;s more common in rented housing than owner-occupied homes.<\/p>\n<h2>Who&#8217;s most at risk<\/h2>\n<p>NHS-affiliated sources consistently identify <strong>babies, young children, older people, and pregnant women<\/strong> as most vulnerable to the health effects of damp and mould. Children have smaller airways than adults, which makes them more susceptible to the breathing problems mould exposure can cause.<\/p>\n<h2>What it can cause or worsen<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Asthma:<\/strong> mould spores can trigger asthma symptoms and asthma attacks in people who are allergic to them, and damp, mouldy housing can make asthma harder to control generally.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Respiratory infections:<\/strong> NHS-affiliated sources note damp and mould contribute to thousands of cases of chest infections each year, and can make colds, flu, and rhinitis (irritated nose) worse.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Allergic reactions:<\/strong> coughing, wheezing, sneezing, and watery eyes are commonly reported reactions to mould spore exposure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Skin conditions:<\/strong> some NHS-affiliated sources note damp and mould can contribute to eczema and fungal skin infections.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mental health:<\/strong> living with ongoing damp and mould &mdash; and the stress of trying to get it fixed &mdash; is noted by NHS-affiliated sources as something that can affect mental health, separate from the direct physical effects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One NHS-affiliated source (Frimley Healthier Together) states that children living in a damp home are up to three times more likely to have breathing problems than children in a dry home.<\/p>\n<h2>What to do<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Deal with the underlying damp<\/strong>, not just the visible mould &mdash; see our <a href=\"\/guide\/condensation-rising-penetrating-damp-difference\/\">guide to diagnosing your damp type<\/a> as a starting point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Report it<\/strong> if you rent: social housing tenants have specific rights under Awaab&#8217;s Law (see our <a href=\"\/guide\/awaabs-law-explained-timeline-who-it-covers\/\">explainer<\/a>); private tenants have separate routes (see our <a href=\"\/guide\/private-tenant-rights-landlord-wont-fix-damp\/\">guide<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li><strong>See your GP<\/strong> if you or a family member has ongoing symptoms &mdash; a doctor can assess whether damp\/mould exposure is a likely contributing factor and advise accordingly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clean mould safely<\/strong> in the meantime &mdash; see our <a href=\"\/guide\/how-to-remove-mould-safely\/\">guide to removing mould safely<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Sources: NHS-affiliated regional guidance including Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Frimley Healthier Together. This page provides general information, not medical advice specific to your situation.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Damp and mould are more common in UK homes than most people realise, and the health effects are well documented by NHS-affiliated sources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"dd_pillar":[5],"dd_damp_type":[],"class_list":["post-28","guide","type-guide","status-publish","hentry","dd_pillar-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/guide\/28","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/guide"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/guide\/28\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"dd_pillar","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fdd_pillar&post=28"},{"taxonomy":"dd_damp_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dampdeck.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fdd_damp_type&post=28"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}