UK Charity Warns of Winter Lung Health Risks from Damp, Bills

A leading UK charity has warned that millions of people with lung conditions face increased health risks this winter due to persistent wet weather and the potential for higher energy bills triggered by the Middle East conflict. Asthma + Lung UK highlighted how damp and mould in homes could exacerbate symptoms, leading to severe complications for those affected.

The charity's alert comes amid one of the wettest winters on record, according to the Met Office, with England marking its eighth wettest. Such conditions foster indoor mould growth, which the organization identifies as a major trigger for respiratory issues. A recent survey of 9,387 people with lung conditions found that mould and fungi affect symptoms for about a third of respondents, worsening conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. This can result in breathlessness, flare-ups, fatal asthma attacks, chest infections, and hospital admissions.

The warning is compounded by financial pressures. A pre-existing survey by Asthma + Lung UK revealed that nearly one in five people with lung conditions could not afford to keep their homes adequately warm, even before recent oil price...