The UK Radon Association is urgently calling on the Government to launch a national campaign addressing exposure to radon gas, an invisible, cancer-causing threat responsible for thousands of preventable lung cancer cases across the UK
The UK Radon Association (UKRA) has urged the Government to take immediate action against radon exposure, a naturally occurring radioactive gas linked to thousands of lung cancer deaths each year. In an open letter to the Department of Health and Social Care, the association called for a coordinated national strategy to raise awareness, improve testing in homes and public buildings, and protect families from this “invisible killer.”
UKRA urges the government to take action against radon gas
To mark Radon Awareness Week 2025 (3rd-9th November) last week, the UKRA wrote an open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, urging the Government to take action against the deadly threat of radon gas.
Radon is the leading cause of cancer in non-smokers, leading to over 1,100 lung cancer deaths every year in the UK. Radon is a gas that can seep into our homes, and is created when naturally radioactive uranium slowly decays in the ground under our homes and seeps to the surface. In parts of the country rich in granite, people are more susceptible to radon exposure. Children may be more vulnerable to radon due to their faster breathing rate and smaller lung capacity, which can result in higher radon doses, with early exposure potentially increasing their lifetime risk.
The letter challenges the Government to rethink its public health agenda beyond its Tobacco and Vapes Bill to tackle one of the country’s most overlooked causes of cancer.
“If the Government is serious about creating a smoke-free generation, it must also protect children and families from other preventable causes of lung cancer,” said Dr Maria Dugdale, Chair of the UK Radon Association. “Radon exposure is an entirely avoidable risk, yet thousands of people remain unaware they’re being exposed in their own homes, schools, and workplaces.”
Three urgent actions for the Department of Health and Social Care to consider
The letter, which has been signed on behalf of all 30 members of the trade association, outlined three urgent actions for the Department of Health and Social Care to implement:
- Initiate a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about radon in schools, ensuring that all educational institutions understand their legal obligation to assess and manage radon risks. According to anecdotal evidence from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), approximately two-thirds of schools located in radon-affected areas have never undergone testing. This oversight may potentially expose over 100,000 children to elevated radon levels.
- Increase awareness efforts directed at nurseries and early years settings, including private institutions, an area that has been previously overlooked in radon initiatives, where young children spend many hours each week.
- Provide radon information through local health services and visitor teams, helping families to understand home risks and take preventive measures.
“This is a moment for the Government to do what governments before have failed to do and show real leadership around radon,” Dr Dugdale said. “By taking simple, coordinated action now, we can prevent unnecessary suffering, save lives, and protect future generations.”
