Shelter launches campaign to expose UK housing crisis

Homelessness charity Shelter has launched a campaign to challenge the perception of what defines a home, highlighting the harsh conditions faced by thousands of families living in temporary accommodation across the UK.

Created by DUDE London with support from HSBC UK, the campaign Our House is not a Home reimagines Madness’ 1982 hit Our House. While the lyrics remain unchanged, the accompanying visuals contrast the song’s upbeat nostalgia with depictions of families living in overcrowded, mould-ridden properties provided as temporary housing by local councils.

Music video confronts grim realities

Directed by Milo Blake through Spindle, the campaign’s centrepiece is a stripped-down, acoustic 60-second film shot on film stock. It portrays a family of five struggling to maintain daily routines in a damp, noisy flat with limited privacy and inadequate facilities. Scenes of children sharing beds and parents fighting mould infestations are paired with the familiar lyrics of Our House, reframing them in a stark, unsettling light.

The film also points to the long-term nature of temporary housing, with families often relocated multiple times over months or years, disrupting education, work, and community ties.

Raising awareness through cultural impact

Mairi MacRae, Director of Campaigns and Policy, Shelter: "We’re incredibly grateful to the team at DUDE for their fantastic efforts in bringing Our House to life, and shining a spotlight on the harsh reality faced by thousands of families at the sharp end of the housing emergency. Every day, more families are being pushed to the brink of homelessness because private rents are soaring out of reach of local incomes. With so few genuinely affordable social homes available, many people are forced to make impossible choices between putting food on the table or keeping a roof over their heads."

Shelter’s partnership with HSBC UK focuses on helping families build financial resilience to prevent homelessness. The campaign, which runs across TV, online video, and social platforms, aims to spark national debate about the definition of a home while raising donations for Shelter’s ongoing work.

Creative voices behind the campaign

Chris Foreman and Cathal Smyth, original songwriters, Our House: "For most, home is a sanctuary, a place of rest, a place to restore one’s strength to face the daily challenges of life. We are proud to support Shelter and their work in helping those who, sadly, are without homes."

Tomás Gianelli O’Ryan, Executive Creative Director, DUDE London: "Very few times in life do we get to work on such an important brief, and this one is without a doubt the most urgent we’ve had at DUDE London. Changing the meaning of homelessness is no small task, but we hope we’ve done it justice."

Milo Blake, Director: "Living in London, the housing crisis and homelessness are impossible to ignore. It was important to us to capture the humanity of the characters and create a sense of relatability – because, in reality, it’s often just a matter of circumstance that separates any of us from facing the same challenges."

Shelter hopes the track will also return to the charts, four decades after its original release.

www.shelter.org.uk

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