Helping people overcome hoarding

Last year, Swale Borough Council helped create safer homes for 179 local households struggling with hoarding.

This National Hoarding Awareness Week (12- 16 May), the council are highlighting the work being done to help local people live safely and comfortably in their own homes.

Hoarding is a complex mental health condition that can make homes unsafe and unsuitable to live in.

The council’s Staying Put service steps in to provide practical help and support to residents facing these challenging situations.

This can involve homes where the person’s possessions have accumulated so much that getting through rooms becomes difficult, sometimes forcing people to sleep in armchairs because bedrooms are inaccessible.

Everyday items like microwaves, baths, and stairs can become unusable storage areas, cutting off access to essential facilities and upper floors.

These conditions can pose serious health and safety risks, including potential injury from falling items or an inability to escape in a fire.

The council’s officers, working alongside experienced and trained contractors, visit residents to understand their needs.

They approach each situation with sensitivity, easing any embarrassment or anxiety residents may feel, and work together to find solutions.

Support is tailored to each person, and council officers work with the NHS, Kent County Council’s social services, and local charities to make sure the person receives comprehensive support.

Council officers help residents clear unwanted belongings, which are then recycled where possible or donated to charity.

Once space is created, the service can help arrange necessary repairs, such as fixing leaks or reflooring.

If individuals are not ready to part with their possessions, officers help them to store items more safely in boxes, aiming to reclaim as much living space as possible.

The team also carries out deep cleans, creating a safer and more hygienic environment, and helps assess properties for any pest issues.

These efforts have significantly improved the well-being of many residents and last year, the service helped prevent 144 individuals from potential harm or hospitalisation due to their living conditions.

It also helped 35 people return home from hospital sooner by making sure their homes were safe and supportive environments.

Hoarding is an often-misunderstood condition. It is not simply messiness but a condition that can deeply affect a person’s well-being and safety.

Many people the council works with are elderly or vulnerable and may be coping with loss, health conditions, or other mental health challenges.

The Staying Put service also collaborates closely with the NHS, Social Services, and local charities.

This partnership ensures residents receive comprehensive support throughout their journey to declutter and improve their homes.

Angela Harrison, Swale Borough Council’s chair of the Housing and Health Committee said:

“Staying Put provides an invaluable service for vulnerable local people, whether that is life-changing adaptations to their homes or tailored support with decluttering.

“The work of our officers is making a real difference to these people’s lives.

“We understand how difficult it must be for people affected by hoarding behaviour to tackle the issues they face, and I commend their bravery in accepting our offer of help.

“Hoarding is a serious mental health condition that requires specialist support, and our service treats every resident with the care and expertise they deserve.”

A resident who worked with the Staying Put service, who wished to remain anonymous, complimented the officers hard work:

“My very grateful and heartfelt thanks [to] the team of people that have recently assisted me and my living situation.

“They have all shown me kindness, understanding, honesty and respect whilst ensuring that everything that was being done was with my health and safety firmly in mind.

“Staying Put is an amazing service, and [the] team should be made aware as to how life changing their service will be for me moving forward and probably many others, thank you so very much.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with hoarding visit the council’s staying put webpages.

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