When Home Becomes Too Hot
A new briefing from Wen and the Women’s Budget Group explores why our homes are on the frontline of climate change and how the housing crisis, climate crisis and gender inequality are deeply connected and cannot be solved separately.
Today, Wen and the Women’s Budget Group (WBG) launch a new briefing, Green and Caring Homes for Gender Climate Justice.
The report is the first in a new series of joint policy briefings, developed as part of the Feminist Green New Deal project with the involvement of women taking part in Wen’s Climate Sisters programme. It brings together evidence, policy analysis and lived experience to explore how the housing crisis, climate crisis and rising inequality are deeply interconnected and why they cannot be solved separately.
Kate Metcalf Co-Director at Wen said:
“Record-breaking heat is no longer a future warning. Women across the UK are already living with the reality of homes that are unaffordable to heat in winter, dangerously hot in summer and harmful to health all year round.
“Through Wen’s Climate Sisters, we hear directly from women navigating rising bills, poor housing, racism, disability and the pressures of caring for families and communities during a climate and cost of living crisis. Women facing inequality are often hit first and hardest by the combined impacts of the housing crisis and climate crisis, yet they are also leading powerful community responses rooted in care, resilience and collective action.
“We cannot solve the climate crisis without addressing inequality, and we cannot address inequality without safe, sustainable and genuinely affordable homes. Government policy must stop treating housing, climate and gender equality as separate issues and start delivering joined-up solutions shaped by women’s everyday realities.”
Why this matters now
As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, one thing is becoming clear: our homes are on the frontline of climate change.
The homes we live in shape our exposure to heat and cold, our energy bills, our health and our ability to care for ourselves and others. Yet millions of people in the UK live in homes that are cold, damp, poorly insulated or increasingly vulnerable to overheating.
Climate change is not a distant future threat. It is already affecting people’s daily lives and deepening existing inequalities. Those already facing financial insecurity, poor housing and other forms of disadvantage are often least protected from its impacts.
Why housing needs rethinking
Housing lies at the centre of some of the UK’s most pressing challenges. It shapes almost every aspect of our lives. Home is where people raise children, care for relatives, recover from illness and build community. Housing also affects access to work, education, healthcare and other essential services.
Yet the UK’s housing system is increasingly failing to provide secure and affordable homes for many households. Housing costs have risen significantly, social housing provision has declined, and more people are experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness.
At the same time, climate change is creating new pressures on housing. More frequent heatwaves, flooding and extreme weather events are increasing risks to health, housing safety and affordability. Rising temperatures and overheating in homes are an important public health concern.
Our briefing argues that housing policy has a critical role to play in addressing climate change, improving health and reducing inequality.
Housing is a feminist issue
A feminist perspective helps reveal how housing systems shape everyday life.
Women experience housing insecurity in distinct ways. On average, women have lower incomes and wealth than men and are more likely to rely on social security and social housing. Women also continue to undertake the majority of unpaid care work, meaning the design, location and affordability of housing have a profound impact on daily life.
But housing inequality does not affect all women equally. Experiences are shaped by intersecting inequalities including race, disability, migration status and income. The briefing highlights how racialised women, particularly Black women, face some of the highest levels of housing insecurity in the UK. Lone mothers, older women living alone and Disabled women also experience particular barriers and challenges.
A vision for green and caring homes
The briefing sets out a vision for feminist green housing.
A feminist approach recognises that homes should first and foremost be places where people live, care for one another and build communities, rather than simply financial assets or units of supply.
A feminist green housing system would provide:
- Secure and affordable homes for all.
- Energy-efficient homes that reduce emissions and energy bills.
- Homes that stay warm in winter and cool in summer.
- Housing designed around care, accessibility and everyday life.
- Neighbourhoods that support health, community and local services.
Climate action, gender equality and wellbeing can reinforce one another. Investment in social housing, energy efficiency and community-led housing can reduce emissions, improve living standards and support more equal societies.
What needs to change
The briefing calls for bold, joined-up action, including:
- A large-scale programme of social and genuinely affordable housing.
- A national retrofit programme prioritising low-income households and renters.
- Strong standards for energy efficiency, accessibility and safety.
- Housing and neighbourhoods designed around care, health and everyday life.
- Investment in community-led housing, cooperatives and Community Land Trusts.
- Better integration of housing with childcare, healthcare, green space and public transport.
- Gender-responsive and intersectional approaches to housing policy and planning.
- Better coordination between housing, climate, health and equality policy.
Building a Feminist Green New Deal
The housing crisis, climate crisis and rising inequality are often treated as separate policy challenges.
This briefing shows they are deeply connected. Investment in affordable, sustainable and care-centred housing can reduce carbon emissions, improve health outcomes, lower energy bills and support more equal communities. Housing policy therefore offers a powerful opportunity to address multiple challenges at once.
Through a Feminist Green New Deal, we can create homes and neighbourhoods that support people, communities and the planet.
Green and Caring Homes for Gender Climate Justice sets out the evidence, lived experience and policy recommendations needed to create homes that are affordable, sustainable, resilient and designed around care.
