Ikea and housing charity Shelter have turned the traditional dolls house on its head with their new ‘Unwelcome Home’ campaign, raising awareness of the reality of poor and dangerous temporary accommodation in the UK.
The campaign has seen the retailer transform its Flisat dolls houses into the ‘unwelcome’ homes in its Wembley, Manchester and Birmingham stores – cities which have some of the highest rates of children living in temporary accommodation in the UK.
Based on lived experience and insights, the Ikea display urges people to take a closer look at the reality of the 151,000 children who live in temporary accommodation across the country, with mouldy walls, rats, dangerous wiring, cramped spaces and mattresses on the floor.
Each room in Ikea’s ‘Unwelcome Home’ dolls house represents a different problem which impacts children in temporary accommodation, with each room providing accommodation for a whole family.
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“Temporary accommodation truly is horrifying, with families crammed into emergency hostels and grotty B&Bs often miles away from their schools and jobs,” said Shelter chief executive Polly Neate.
“Through our partnership with Ikea, we’re showing the grim reality facing the one in 78 children growing up homeless in this country.”
The Ikea campaign builds on insights from Shelter’s 2023 landmark report which revealed that more than two thirds of people living in temporary accommodation (68%) have inadequate access to basic facilities like cooking and laundry facilities, while over one in three (35%) said children don’t have their own bed.
Ikea UK and Ireland partnerships lead Hiliary Jenkins said: “Alongside Shelter, we’re shining a light on the horrifying conditions experienced by families who are stuck in homeless accommodation which is proving to be anything but temporary.”
“Our Unwelcome Home doll’s houses are there to encourage customers to take a closer look at the issues right on their doorsteps, as we call on the government to build a new generation of social rent homes for families, to help tackle the housing emergency.”
Each of the rooms will be on display from 18 September.
