Cold, damp or mouldy homes have been driving tens of thousands of hospital admissions, new data has revealed, as the UK faces a fresh cost of living crisis.

Poor housing conditions were recorded as contributing factors to serious respiratory and cardiovascular illness in almost 40,000 NHS hospital admissions in 2024, according to the figures.

The data comes as Britons face soaring fuel prices amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. Following the US-Israeli attacks launched on Iran last month, oil and gas prices have been driven up as Iran throttles key shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, with commercial vessels coming under attack in the region.

Energy costs in the UK consequently look set to jump in the next price cap announcement, in a fresh blow for households, which have already been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Campaigners warn that this oil and gas crisis is especially concerning in light of the link between poor housing conditions and serious illness, especially for vulnerable households.

Respiratory and cardiovascular conditions are rising, with the UK Health Security Agency’s first Cold Mortality Monitoring Report estimating there were 2,544 cold-related deaths during winter 2024-25.

Analysis by Asthma + Lung UK last month found that emergency pneumonia admissions rose 25 per cent between 2022-23 and 2024-25, reaching 579,475 cases, with cold, damp and mouldy homes identified as a leading cause, while a survey by Health Equals last year found 28 per cent of UK adults now report living in homes affected by damp, mould or cold, suggesting the underlying problem continues to grow.

Health Equals warned long-term exposure to damp, cold and mould can cause or worsen existing conditions like asthma, lead to other respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, trigger cardiovascular issues like heart palpitations, or contribute to mental health conditions like stress, anxiety and depression.

Poor housing can, in the worst scenarios, cause deaths, as was the case with two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his social housing association home.

The new data, obtained by home improvement specialist Purebuilt via a Freedom of Information request, highlights the increasing dangers of cold, damp and mould-affected homes on people’s health.

It shows that London, the UK’s most populous city, recorded the highest number of admissions to NHS hospitals as a consequence of these poor housing conditions. The capital saw 8,335 cases in 2024, with Greater Manchester following in second place. Working-age adults were found to account for more than four-fifths of all admissions.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “The link between cold, damp homes and serious illness is already clear, and that makes the current oil and gas price crisis even more worrying.

“As fossil fuel markets become more volatile again, there is a real danger that more households will be pushed into cutting back on heating or living in unhealthy conditions they cannot afford to escape. That is why it is so important that support is ready to go in practice, not just promised in principle.

“The government must ensure help reaches the households living in the coldest, dampest homes first, while also preparing wider emergency energy support in case this crisis deepens.

“That means targeted financial help for those hit hardest, faster action to improve the energy efficiency of the worst homes, and a clear plan to stop rising global oil and gas prices from translating into higher bills that could lead to more illness, misery and pressure on the NHS.

“No one should be made ill because they cannot afford to keep their home warm and dry.”

It comes amid warnings that the government’s main home energy support scheme, ECO4, is confirmed to end in December, with no successor obligation in place, while the £15bn Warm Homes Plan replacement still has key eligibility details to be finalised.

Michael Davie, home improvement specialist at Purebuilt, said: “The NHS is picking up the cost of a problem that could be prevented through proper investment in insulation, heating upgrades and fair access to retrofit support.

“With ECO4 now confirmed to end in December 2026, and the Warm Homes Plan still taking shape, households urgently need clarity on what support will replace it.

“Without accessible, fully funded programmes for insulation and heating upgrades, health inequalities will deepen, and next winter will be no different.”

The Independent has approached the UK government for comment.

The Martian remains one of the most crowd-pleasing space epics of the modern era.

The film is based on the 2011 book by Andy Weir, the author who also wrote best-seller Project Hail Mary, which has also been adapted for the screen and hits cinemas March 19.

Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, The Martian follows an astronaut stranded on Mars who must use science, ingenuity and sheer stubbornness to stay alive while NASA races to bring him home.

The film became a global phenomenon, pulling in over $630 million at the box office and earning multiple Oscar nominations.

It also stands as Scott’s highest-grossing film to date, which is no small feat for a director with a catalogue that includes Alien and Gladiator.

Now streaming on BBC iPlayer, the survival story is being rediscovered by viewers as they prepare to embark on another sci-fi epic with Project Hail Mary – and judging by audience reactions, it’s lost none of its impact.

Fans have been quick to praise The Martian’s blend of tension and humour.

One viewer called it ‘an absolute must see’ in a review on Rotten Tomatoes, while another said it ‘kept me interested for the full two hours’ — no easy achievement in an era of endless distractions.

Others highlighted Damon’s performance, with the actor repeatedly singled out as the driving force behind the film’s success.

What makes The Martian stand out is its tone. Despite the life-or-death premise, it leans into optimism, problem-solving and even comedy, famously turning a desperate survival situation into a story involving disco music and potato farming on Mars.

As one fan neatly put it, it’s ‘like the Mars version of Castaway but potatoes instead of a volleyball.’

The film’s production was just as ambitious as its story.

Shot across vast sound stages in Budapest and the striking deserts of Jordan’s Wadi Rum, it creates a convincing vision of the red planet without losing its grounded, human focus.

A decade on, The Martian still feels like a rare kind of blockbuster.

Stream The Martian on BBC iPlayer now.

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He said: “When I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, when I see Hindus celebrating Diwali, when I see Jews celebrating Chanukah live, when I see Christians performing the Passion of the Christ, or Muslims praying, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country.

Leanne Abeyance from Telford paid £3,000 for dental implants in Turkey, but the procedure went wrong leaving her with severe complications and unable to eat

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When Leanne Abeyance flew to Turkey in May 2024 to swap her 13 year old veneers for implants, she never anticipated the ordeal that awaited her.

Leanne, hailing from Telford, Shropshire, opted for treatment overseas due to the hefty £40,000 price tag attached to the same procedure in the UK. The Turkish clinic quoted her £8,000, of which she paid an upfront fee of £3,000, with the balance due upon completion of the treatment.

Following a dentist’s advice, she underwent a sinus lift and bone grafts, receiving eight implants on the upper jaw and seven on the lower. Prior to this nightmare, Leanne had been working as a DJ. She had her teeth extracted and replaced with screws and implants.

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Two days post-surgery, the 40 year old was fitted with temporary teeth. She was scheduled to return to Turkey five months later for her permanent set and initially, she was pleased with her interim smile.

Unfortunately, Leanne began suffering from severe headaches and sinusitis just weeks after the operation. A scan at a private dental practice revealed that two of the implants had penetrated her nasal cavity – leaving her terrified of losing her upper lip, reports the Mirror.

Leanne shared her harrowing experience: “I was constantly in and out of the doctors and given antibiotics, but nothing was clearing it. I got hospitalised overnight on an IV feed. A few weeks back, I was in the worst pain of my life, going back and forth to AandE, where they couldn’t do anything.”

The situation remains much the same today. She explained: “I’m scared that I’m going to have no lips left. It’s [the hole] already gone under my top lip and onto my gums.

“It doesn’t stop leaking and bleeding. I can’t even eat properly anymore because it’s so sore and painful. And the fact that I have to keep the gauze on, I can’t breathe.”

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Leanne described how “thick gunk” continuously seeps from the wound – images we’ve opted not to publish due to their graphic nature. She feels “angry, frustrated, tired and fed up” at being unable to secure help at A&E, as her situation apparently falls into a “grey area”.

Leanne is currently waiting for her GP to confirm whether she’s developed osteomyelitis, a severe bone infection, typically bacterial, that triggers inflammation, pain, fever and swelling.

The impact extends beyond the physical toll, as Leanne is also grappling with unkind responses she’s encountered online.

There may, however, be hope on the horizon. She revealed: “I have contacted my original surgeon in London and he has given me an appointment in a few weeks, so fingers crossed.”

Leanne strongly advised anyone facing similar circumstances to “please go private, do not leave it. Do not accept no for an answer”.

Addressing those posting hurtful comments on social media, Leanne also appealed: “Start being kind to one another, we are all human, and there’s only so much one can take”.

Holly Maclean is aiming to make her mark again at Miss GB Glasgow having been a finalist last year.

A stunning Wishaw beauty is aiming to wow the judges and make it all the way to the final of Miss Great Britain.

Holly Maclean, who is a nursery practitioner at Kirkstyle Early Learning Centre in Carluke, is aiming to make her mark again at Miss GB Glasgow having been a finalist last year.

The 23-year-old, who lives in Overtown, will be using her time in the competition to promote the Lanarkshire mental health charity You are my Sunshine (YAMS) as well as raising cash for Cancer Research UK.

The former Clyde Valley High pupil said: “It was a really good opportunity for me last year and I had such a good time. It would mean a lot if I made it to the final, it would mean the world to me.

“I would encourage anyone to do this. If I can inspire other girls to follow their dreams then it would be amazing.

“The girls are all incredible and you always have a great time. Last year I was able to do some travelling after I got some modelling opportunities.

“I’ve been to Miami and will be heading to Italy and then Las Vegas later this year.

“It’s not a voting system, there will be interviews and on-stage rounds, it will be down to the judges on the day.”

Holly has put her energy back into something positive having already raised £1200 for YAMS through a pyjama party at nursery and a sponsored spin-athon at New Age Fitness in Wishaw.

READ MORE: North Lanarkshire rules out World Cup bank holiday

And she is putting the same commitment to raising cash for the cancer charity this time around.

She added: “I went through a tough few months after a relationship ended. I liked supporting You are my Sunshine because they focus on both children and adults.

“I thought with the job I do in the nursery, that it’s important to raise mental health awareness at a young age.”

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Leanne Abeyance, 40, from Telford, Shropshire, jetted to Turkey in May 2024 to replace her 13-year-old veneers with implants – but scans showed two implants had pierced her nose

When Leanne Abeyance flew to Turkey in May 2024 to swap her 13 year old veneers for implants, she never anticipated the ordeal that awaited her.

Leanne, hailing from Telford, Shropshire, opted for treatment overseas due to the hefty £40,000 price tag attached to the same procedure in the UK. The Turkish clinic quoted her £8,000, of which she paid an initial £3,000, with the balance due once her new teeth were in place.

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Following a dentist’s advice, she underwent a sinus lift and bone grafts, receiving eight implants on the upper jaw and seven on the lower. Prior to this nightmare, Leanne had been working as a DJ, but found herself having her teeth extracted and replaced with screws and implants.

Two days post-surgery, the 40 year old had her temporary teeth fitted. She was scheduled to return to Turkey five months later for her permanent set and initially, she was pleased with her interim smile.

However, Leanne soon began suffering severe headaches and sinusitis in the weeks following the operation. A private dental scan revealed two implants had penetrated her nasal cavity, leaving her terrified she might lose her upper lip, reports the Mirror.

Leanne shared her distressing experience with us: “I was constantly in and out of the doctors and given antibiotics, but nothing was clearing it. I got hospitalised overnight on an IV feed. A few weeks back, I was in the worst pain of my life, going back and forth to AandE, where they couldn’t do anything.”

The situation remains equally dire today. She explained: “I’m scared that I’m going to have no lips left. It’s [the hole] already gone under my top lip and onto my gums.

“It doesn’t stop leaking and bleeding. I can’t even eat properly anymore because it’s so sore and painful. And the fact that I have to keep the gauze on, I can’t breathe.”

Leanne described how “thick gunk” continuously seeps from the wound, which we’ve opted not to display due to the graphic nature of the images. She feels “angry, frustrated, tired and fed up” after being unable to secure assistance at A&E, as her situation is reportedly a “grey area”.

Leanne is currently waiting for her GP to confirm whether she’s developed osteomyelitis, a severe, typically bacterial, bone infection that triggers inflammation, discomfort, fever, and swelling.

The challenges extend beyond the physical toll, as Leanne is also grappling with hostile responses she’s encountered online.

Nevertheless, there appears to be hope on the horizon, as she revealed: “I have contacted my original surgeon in London and he has given me an appointment in a few weeks, so fingers crossed.”

Leanne implored others facing comparable circumstances to “please go private, do not leave it. Do not accept no for an answer”.

Addressing online trolls posting hurtful comments on social media, Leanne also stated: “Start being kind to one another, we are all human, and there’s only so much one can take”.

The Manor House, on High Lane in Maltby, closed its doors to punters on Monday (March 16) following reports of bookings being cancelled over the weekend.

The reason behind the closure, and whether it is temporary or permanent, is not yet known – with owners the Sir John Fitzgerald Pubs not yet commenting on the news.

Pictures taken on Tuesday showed how one half of the venue had been boarded up with panels on its windows and doors. 

And today (March 18), The Manor House’s section on the Sir John  Fitzgerald Pubs website now brings up an error. 

null (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The pub remains on the chain’s list of venues but, when clicked upon, the website states “page not found” followed by: “It looks like nothing was found at this location.”

The Manor House has been run by Sir John Fitzgerald Pubs for several years and has garnered rave reviews for its “delicious” chicken parmesans and “excellent” Sunday lunches. 

Before being The Manor House, it was known as the Yorkshire Dragoon and long before that as the New Inn. 

The Northern Echo has contacted The Manor House and the Sir John Fitzgerald Pubs firm for more information.

“Some people might say he isn’t as sharp, others might say he is fresh. All this talk about an eighth World Championship. What a position to be in, some might say he has done it the right way and kept himself fresh.

“I’ve been playing well for a season or two. I’ve been running into superheroes playing unbelievable snooker.

“It is a test of perseverance, it is about mental toughness – can you keep going? With this event, the Tour Championship and World Championship to come. It is a great time to be hitting form.”

Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan, who has said a return to tournament-winning form would be the greatest achievement of his career, has a 14-4 career winning record over Murphy.

“I always prepare well. I know people question if I practise enough. Everyone has done that since I was a kid. They seem to think I just turn up,” said O’Sullivan, who lost 4-0 in his last meeting with Murphy, at the Riyadh Season Championship in November.

“I prepare harder than probably any other player and I work harder. I think people just assume I only need to get out of bed and pot balls. That isn’t the case.”

World number one Judd Trump also moved into the last 16 with a 5-2 victory over Jackson Page, while reigning world champion Zhao Xintong beat Sam Craigie 5-1.

Stuart Bingham and Jack Lisowski missed out on chances to move in the world’s top 16 and qualify automatically for the World Championship, losing 5-4 and 5-1 to Wu Yize and Mark Allen respectively.

Masters champion Kyren Wilson defeated Allan Taylor 5-1, while Hossein Vafaei came back from 2-0 down to beat Mark Williams 5-2 and set up a meeting with Zhang Anda, who triumphed 5-2 against Xiao Guodong.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday declared a temporary pause in escalating fighting, two days after Kabul blamed Islamabad for a deadly airstrike in the Afghan capital that it said killed hundreds of people at a drug rehabilitation hospital.

Both said they were suspending fighting before Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. The three countries have been trying to mediate a cessation of hostilities since Afghanistan and Pakistan renewed cross-border fighting in February, and had also been involved in helping broker a ceasefire between the two in October.

The announcements came shortly after Afghan authorities held a mass funeral in Kabul for some of the victims killed in Monday’s strike.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the suspension of strikes on Afghanistan would take effect at midnight Wednesday and remain in place until midnight Monday.

“Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms,” Tarar said in a statement. However, he said that “in case of any cross-border attack, drone attack or any terrorist incident inside Pakistan,” the operations will immediately resume with renewed intensity.

Afghanistan’s government spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, didn’t specify a time frame for the pause on the Afghan side. But he said that his country “will respond courageously to any aggression in the event of a threat.”

Military installations targeted, Pakistan says

Pakistan has rejected Afghanistan’s accusation that it targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, insisting its strikes in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan Monday had been against military facilities. It has dismissed Afghan claims of hundreds of people killed as propaganda.

Monday’s attack in Kabul was the deadliest in a conflict that has been escalating between the two neighbors since late February. Afghan officials have put the death toll at 408 people, with 265 wounded. The toll couldn’t be independently verified.

The fighting has seen repeated cross-border clashes as well as airstrikes inside Afghanistan, including several in the capital, despite international calls for a ceasefire.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven for militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, especially for the Pakistani Taliban. The group is separate but closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, which took over Afghanistan in 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge.

Mass funeral in Kabul

Bulldozers dug pits in a Kabul cemetery before Wednesday’s mass funeral, which Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said was for more than 50 people whose remains couldn’t be identified.

Light rain fell as ambulances lined up outside the cemetery and began unloading dozens of plain wooden caskets. Some contained the remains of more than one person, Zaman said.

The 2,000-bed Omid hospital was hit at around 9 p.m. on Monday. It had been renamed and expanded in size roughly a year ago from a previously existing treatment facility as part of the Taliban government’s efforts to stamp out a significant drug addiction problem in the country.

Afghanistan’s vast poppy fields have been the source of much of the world’s heroin, which in combination with decades of conflict and widespread poverty has fueled drug addiction that the country’s government has vowed to combat.

The site, near Kabul’s international airport, is adjacent to a former NATO military base, Camp Phoenix, where U.S. forces used to train the Afghan National Army. It wasn’t immediately clear what was now housed at the site.

The strike caused an intense fire at the hospital, with footage from local television showing rescue crews combing through the wreckage with flashlights late into the night as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze.

Pakistan warns Afghanistan to make a choice

In an interview with The Associated Press in Islamabad earlier Wednesday before he announced the pause in fighting, Tarar said Pakistan had “only targeted terrorist infrastructure.”

“We have just gone after the Afghan Taliban regime, their military setups, their terrorist infrastructure, and all the setups which are supporting or promoting terrorists,” Tarar said.

He told the AP that Pakistan’s strikes “have been very precise and these strikes were carried out in an ammunition depot in Kabul. In the aftermath of which, we saw fumes and flames in the atmosphere in Kabul.”

He said the subsequent loss of life, which he did not quantify, occurred “because there was ammunition, there were technical equipment, there were arms there in that depot.”

Tarar said Pakistan has given a clear choice to Afghanistan’s government: “Either you are with Pakistan or you are with the terrorists. So, they will have to make a choice, and they will have to make the choice very soon,” he said.

Bodies were still being pulled from the smoldering remains of the hospital on Tuesday morning.

Mujahid, the Afghan government spokesman, condemned the strike, accusing Pakistan of “targeting hospitals and civilian sites to perpetrate horrors.” He said those killed were “innocent civilians and addicts.”

Latest conflict began in February

The fighting, the most severe between the two neighbors, began after Afghanistan launched cross-border attacks in response to Pakistani airstrikes about three weeks ago. The clashes disrupted a ceasefire brokered by Qatar in October, after earlier fighting killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants.

Pakistan declared last month that it’s in “open war” with Afghanistan. The conflict has alarmed the international community, particularly as the area is one where other militant organizations, including al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, still have a presence and have been trying to resurface.

___

Munir Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Elena Becatoros contributed to this report from Athens, Greece.

This is famously the case in the Meningitis Belt – which stretches across 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia. Dust, high temperatures and low humidity throughout the dry season are thought to damage the back of the throat and give the bacteria a route into the body. This triggers regular epidemics.