Hoarding Guide
12 May 2026
Hoarding affects an estimated 5% of the population. It is not a lifestyle choice – it’s a recognised mental health condition that’s often linked to trauma, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), neurodiversity, bereavement and chronic stress.
Hoarding has significant impacts on mental and physical health, as well as serious implications for health and safety, tenancy sustainment and community wellbeing. Someone displaying severe hoarding behaviour may have hoarding disorder, which is a mental health condition that can only be diagnosed by a professional.
As a Healthy Places and Communities Partnership, we’ve been working with lived experience groups and Hoarding Disorders UK to develop resources to improve how we support our residents. Download and share our new guide here https://www.cih.org/publications/partnership-approaches-health-and-hoarding/
Worried about you or someone else?
If you’re worried that you are affected by hoarding behaviour, you can speak with us, get in touch with your GP or contact Hoarding UK for support.
The Healthy Places and Communities partnership comprises bpha, Amplius, Peabody, BeActive and Public Health (Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes)
