Worryingly, the highest proportion of those unaware were aged between 16-24. 

The research, conducted by online asbestos awareness course provider, High Speed Training, surveyed 2000 UK respondents to reveal whether people could spot asbestos in the home, and what their course of action would be.

Asbestos is a hidden killer that is responsible for 5,000 deaths a year. Despite now being banned in the UK, asbestos can still be commonly found in homes and other buildings built years before restrictions were put in place.

Respondents were unsure on the best course of action and the dangers posed, with nearly three quarters of people unable to confidently identify asbestos and 39% of people not knowing how to deal with it.

Additionally, 20% of individuals were unsure of whether they should remove it themselves, with a further 3% answering that they would attempt to remove asbestos themselves.

Social platforms such as TikTok have helped to boost the popularity of home renovation content, with #homerenovation totalling 8 billion views alone.

Thanks to influencers documenting the highlights of their home improvement journeys, and with more people taking on DIY tasks themselves, it’s likely that increasing numbers of homeowners may come into contact with asbestos themselves. 

The survey also revealed that amongst 24–35-year-olds, only 60% would seek professional help to deal with asbestos.

With the average age of first-time buyers sitting at 33 years of age in 2023, those looking to enter the property ladder should be aware of the dangerous risks’ asbestos could pose if not dealt with professionally.