Latest news with #Dreamspace
Scotsman
14-07-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Shocking AI-generated film lays bare Britain's hidden child bed poverty crisis
A sobering snapshot of Britain's hidden child bed poverty crisis has been brought to life in a powerful new AI-generated video - laying bare the bleak reality facing millions of children growing up without a bed of their own. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The emotional short film has been released by sleep technology firm Simba - following new research that reveals more than one in ten children in the UK now live in bed poverty; an unhealthy sleep environment caused by a lack of proper bedding, shared sleeping spaces or overcrowded homes. Titled, No Room For Rest, the short film uses immersive, generative AI to visualise the invisible effects of child bed poverty - confronting viewers with the harsh physical and emotional toll of sleep deprivation over 24 hours. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The film follows a day in the life of a young child struggling through school, battling extreme tiredness and feeling isolated from the world around them - all because they don't have a proper bed at home. No Room For Rest Heartbreaking scenes show the shattered child missing their bus, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car and battling to stay awake in class - before the lonely youngster wanders home to their own 'mattress' - a battered blanket on a hard floor. Nearly one in five (19%) low-income adults in the UK say they've experienced bed poverty, rising to 28% in London. Bed poverty rates have also surged across several regions since 2023, up from 10% to 16% in East Anglia, 20% to 24% in the North West, and 14% to 18% in Yorkshire. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The study also found that a third (32%) of low-income parents now share a bed with their child. No Room For Rest Among single parents, that number has nearly doubled in two years, rising from 16% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. Simba's research reveals the extent of the UK's bed poverty crisis - yet just 13% of low-income parents say they've ever seen bed poverty acknowledged in the media or by public figures. 'No child should have to start their day already exhausted because they don't have a comfortable, proper place to sleep,' said Steve Reid, CEO at Simba. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We believe every child deserves the right to a good night's sleep, and it is our mission to ensure everyone has access to better sleep through Dreamspace, a nationwide initiative that will deliver complete bed bundles - including a bed, mattress, duvet, pillow and protector - to 1,000 children and families referred through charities and social services, including Barnardo's and Buttle UK'. No Room For Rest Bed poverty isn't just about sleep. It's about how tiredness affects a child's behaviour, mood, nutrition, learning and social connection. The new research shows that one in 10 (10%) parents believe poor sleep is affecting their child's mental health, while others (9%) say their children struggle to concentrate in class. Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry said: 'Bed poverty is just one aspect of child poverty - and yet it starkly illustrates the challenges facing families across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many are having to prioritise essentials such as food, heating and electricity over things like replacing mouldy bedding or fixing rotten or broken beds. 'Sleeping on the floor, or in a mouldy mattress, affects a child's physical and mental health, with an impact on their life long into adulthood' Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK, says, " When children can't sleep comfortably, it affects every area of their life. Tonight, children across the UK will be sleeping on floors, airbeds, sofas and bed-sharing beyond an age that is dignified or suitable.' 'Sleep is crucial for a child's development, behaviour and emotional resilience,' says Reid. 'When it's disrupted, the impact can last a lifetime.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To help more children get the rest they need, Simba customers are able to donate and support the campaign at checkout. No Room for Rest is available to watch now at - where you can also learn more about Simba's Dreamspace mission.
Scotsman
14-07-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Shocking AI-generated film lays bare Britain's hidden child bed poverty crisis
A sobering snapshot of Britain's hidden child bed poverty crisis has been brought to life in a powerful new AI-generated video - laying bare the bleak reality facing millions of children growing up without a bed of their own. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The emotional short film has been released by sleep technology firm Simba - following new research that reveals more than one in ten children in the UK now live in bed poverty; an unhealthy sleep environment caused by a lack of proper bedding, shared sleeping spaces or overcrowded homes. Titled, No Room For Rest, the short film uses immersive, generative AI to visualise the invisible effects of child bed poverty - confronting viewers with the harsh physical and emotional toll of sleep deprivation over 24 hours. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The film follows a day in the life of a young child struggling through school, battling extreme tiredness and feeling isolated from the world around them - all because they don't have a proper bed at home. No Room For Rest Heartbreaking scenes show the shattered child missing their bus, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car and battling to stay awake in class - before the lonely youngster wanders home to their own 'mattress' - a battered blanket on a hard floor. Nearly one in five (19%) low-income adults in the UK say they've experienced bed poverty, rising to 28% in London. Bed poverty rates have also surged across several regions since 2023, up from 10% to 16% in East Anglia, 20% to 24% in the North West, and 14% to 18% in Yorkshire. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The study also found that a third (32%) of low-income parents now share a bed with their child. No Room For Rest Among single parents, that number has nearly doubled in two years, rising from 16% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. Simba's research reveals the extent of the UK's bed poverty crisis - yet just 13% of low-income parents say they've ever seen bed poverty acknowledged in the media or by public figures. 'No child should have to start their day already exhausted because they don't have a comfortable, proper place to sleep,' said Steve Reid, CEO at Simba. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We believe every child deserves the right to a good night's sleep, and it is our mission to ensure everyone has access to better sleep through Dreamspace, a nationwide initiative that will deliver complete bed bundles - including a bed, mattress, duvet, pillow and protector - to 1,000 children and families referred through charities and social services, including Barnardo's and Buttle UK'. No Room For Rest Bed poverty isn't just about sleep. It's about how tiredness affects a child's behaviour, mood, nutrition, learning and social connection. The new research shows that one in 10 (10%) parents believe poor sleep is affecting their child's mental health, while others (9%) say their children struggle to concentrate in class. Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry said: 'Bed poverty is just one aspect of child poverty - and yet it starkly illustrates the challenges facing families across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many are having to prioritise essentials such as food, heating and electricity over things like replacing mouldy bedding or fixing rotten or broken beds. 'Sleeping on the floor, or in a mouldy mattress, affects a child's physical and mental health, with an impact on their life long into adulthood' Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK, says, " When children can't sleep comfortably, it affects every area of their life. Tonight, children across the UK will be sleeping on floors, airbeds, sofas and bed-sharing beyond an age that is dignified or suitable.' 'Sleep is crucial for a child's development, behaviour and emotional resilience,' says Reid. 'When it's disrupted, the impact can last a lifetime.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To help more children get the rest they need, Simba customers are able to donate and support the campaign at checkout.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Devastating video shows reality of millions of UK children in 'bed poverty'
A powerful new AI-generated video has been released to expose the hidden crisis of child bed poverty - with more than one in 10 British children now living in such conditions A powerful new AI-generated video has laid bare the UK's hidden crisis of child bed poverty, revealing the harsh truth for millions of children who don't have a bed of their own. The moving short film, launched by sleep tech firm Simba, comes in the wake of fresh research showing that over one in ten British children are now living in bed poverty. This is characterised by an unhealthy sleeping environment due to insufficient bedding, shared sleeping spaces or overcrowded homes. Titled No Room For Rest, the film uses immersive, generative AI to illustrate the unseen effects of child bed poverty, confronting viewers with the severe physical and emotional toll of sleep deprivation over a 24-hour period. The story follows a day in the life of a young child struggling at school, battling extreme tiredness and feeling detached from their surroundings - all because they don't have a proper bed at home. Heartbreaking scenes show the weary child missing their bus, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car, and struggling to stay awake in class. The lonely youngster then trudges home to their 'mattress' - a threadbare blanket on a hard floor, reports the Daily Star. Almost one in five (19%) low-income adults in the UK report experiencing bed poverty, a figure that rises to 28% in London. Bed poverty rates have also witnessed a dramatic surge across numerous regions since 2023, climbing from 10% to 16% in East Anglia, 20% to 24% in the North West, and 14% to 18% in Yorkshire. The research also revealed that a third (32%) of parents on low incomes are currently sharing their bed with their children. Among single parents, this figure has almost doubled over two years, leaping from 16% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. Simba's investigation exposes the severity of the UK's bed poverty emergency - yet only 13% of low-income parents say they've witnessed bed poverty acknowledged in the media or by public figures. "No child should have to start their day already exhausted because they don't have a comfortable, proper place to sleep", declared Steve Reid, CEO at Simba. 'Right to a good sleep' "We believe every child deserves the right to a good night's sleep, and it is our mission to ensure everyone has access to better sleep through Dreamspace, a nationwide initiative that will deliver complete bed bundles – including a bed, mattress, duvet, pillow and protector – to 1,000 children and families referred through charities and social services, including Barnardo's and Buttle UK". Bed poverty extends far beyond simply getting shut-eye. It concerns how exhaustion affects a child's behaviour, mood, nutrition, learning and social interaction. The latest research shows that one in 10 (10%) parents believe inadequate sleep is damaging their child's mental health, whilst others (9%) report their youngsters find it difficult to concentrate in lessons. Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry highlighted the severity of the situation, saying: "Bed poverty is just one facet of child poverty – and yet it starkly illustrates the challenges facing families across the UK. "Many are having to prioritise essentials such as food, heating and electricity over things like replacing mouldy bedding or fixing rotten or broken beds. "Sleeping on the floor, or in a mouldy mattress, affects a child's physical and mental health, with an impact on their life long into adulthood". Buttle UK's CEO Joseph Howes emphasised the broader implications: "When children can't sleep comfortably, it affects every area of their life. Tonight, children across the UK will be sleeping on floors, airbeds, sofas and bed-sharing beyond an age that is dignified or suitable. Sleep is crucial for a child's development, behaviour and emotional resilience," Reid states. "When it's disrupted, the impact can last a lifetime." Simba offers its customers the chance to contribute to this cause by making a donation at checkout to help more children get the rest they need. The No Room for Rest initiative can be explored at - where further details about Simba's Dreamspace mission are also available.
