Thirteen children have died in falls from windows in their rented or temporary accommodation in England since 2019, according to a study into fatalities of very young and primary-school age children.

Such deaths are «entirely preventable», says the authors, the NHS-funded National Child Mortality Database (NCMD). Landlords must prioritise fixing faulty windows and ensure appropriate locks are in place, they say.

The findings come as a second report, from England’s housing watchdog, likens the scale of window safety defects in social housing to known issues with damp and mould.

The BBC has visited families living in blocks of flats in Leeds and west London who say they are «terrified» of young children falling out of «unsafe» windows.

A paediatric consultant in Manchester has also told us she has treated an «unusually high number» of children who have fallen from windows in recent months.

Most attend with «significant injuries», she says, from broken bones – including to the skull and jaw – to internal damage to organs like the liver.

The National Housing Federation, which represents England’s housing associations, told us that social landlords have increased the number of checks they do to make sure buildings are «compliant with current regulations and safety requirements».