Nepal UK
LONDON, UK - A total of 13 children under the age of 11 have died in England after falling from windows in rented or temporary housing between April 2019 and May 2025, according to new research by the NHS-funded National Child Mortality Database (NCMD). The study concludes that such tragedies are “entirely preventable” and calls for immediate safety measures, including repairing faulty windows and installing secure locks or restrictors.
The findings coincide with a separate report from England’s Housing Ombudsman Service, which warns that unsafe windows in social housing pose a threat comparable to widespread issues of damp and mould. In 34 cases investigated by the ombudsman, severe maladministration was found, with more than half involving children. Many complaints about faulty windows had been ignored or left unresolved for years.
The NCMD study found that in four fatal cases, windows lacked locks or restrictors altogether, while another four involved broken safety devices, and four more had locks that were disabled or not in use. One case involved one-year-old Exodus Eyob, who fell from a seventh-floor Leeds tower block in 2022 after a window restrictor had been disengaged on a hot day. The coroner ruled his death accidental, noting the windows were not defective, but the family had previously raised concerns about how far they could open.
Other fatalities include five-year-old Aalim Ahmed, who fell from the 15th floor of an east London tower block in May 2024, and two-year-olds who died in Gloucestershire and south London earlier this year.
BBC reporters visiting estates in Leeds, west London, and Fulham found widespread concerns among tenants. Some residents were using duct tape to keep windows closed; others reported broken handles or frames that had gone unrepaired for years. At Fulham’s Lancaster Court Estate, six urgent repairs were identified by the council after media inquiries. Tracey McGurk, a resident of five years, described the faulty windows as a “death trap” for visiting grandchildren.
The Local Government Association has called for sustained government funding to improve housing quality, while Hammersmith and Fulham Council stated it is spending over £1 million weekly to repair and replace ageing housing stock, aiming to exceed existing safety standards.
At Manchester Royal Infirmary, paediatric consultant Dr. Noellie Mottershead reported 14 serious child injuries from window falls between April and June this year—more than double any similar period since 2020. Most victims were pre-school aged, suffering severe trauma including broken skulls, fractured jaws, and internal organ damage. Dr. Mottershead noted that many families had previously reported unsafe windows to landlords without any corrective action.
Current UK safety regulations require restrictors in high-risk buildings such as hospitals, schools, and care homes, but no such rules apply to rented residential properties. A government consultation is underway to mandate child-resistant restrictors in all rented homes where windows pose a fall risk. Proposed rules would allow restrictors to be overridden for fire safety, but some experts, including lawyer Gareth Naylor, argue for non-removable safety devices.
Housing associations, represented by the National Housing Federation, have welcomed the review and stressed the importance of secure windows, especially for families with children. The government also plans to update social housing regulations to require replacement of windows in disrepair, regardless of age, in an effort to eliminate prolonged delays in addressing safety hazards.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government emphasized that “no child’s life should be at risk because of poor-quality housing” and committed to preventing future tragedies through stronger regulations and enforcement.
(Source: BBC reporting and local media outlets)
