IKEA and Shelter: a 'Duvet That Does Good'

To launch the campaign, IKEA shared new findings around the things which people feel make a house a home, whilst raising awareness of the reality of those affected by the housing emergency in the UK. The research affirmed that having a place that feels safe and secure is what most people (41%) value in their home, while a quarter (25%)  get the most pride from having a place of their own that provides a sense of belonging – something which cannot be achieved by families affected by homelessness who, according to Shelter, are often (66% of the time) given less than 48 hours to move between temporary accommodation placements.  

A relaxing bedroom with a cosy bed is key to making a house a home for 44% of people. In fact, 40% of respondents admit to missing the comfort of their bed more than family or pets when away, while laptops, games consoles (5%) and the TV (8%) are what they miss least.

 The ‘Duvet That Does Good’ leaned into these findings, allowing those who are looking to create a warm environment at home a simple way to support Shelter’s good causes.

Lily’s story

The donations made through the ‘Duvet That Does Good’ initiative went towards supporting people like Lily. Lily, a qualified nurse, and her two kids were made homeless after a Section 21 eviction when their landlord decided to sell. They were moved out of their local area, across multiple locations and numerous hotels, sometimes for as short a period as one week – never knowing when it would be time to pack up again and move on. Without a kitchen to cook in, and unable to afford to eat hotel food, Lily would cook dinner for the kids at friends’ houses. Sometimes, Lily would take the kids to school with all her suitcases in tow. Lily said: “We were made homeless by a no-fault eviction as the landlord wanted to sell. I was having to go to people’s houses to cook food as there was no cooking facilities in hotels and I didn’t have any money. "One day, I waited until 3:30pm to find out which hotel we were going to. The kids were really unhappy and unsettled. It was hideous." Luckily, Shelter’s Bristol office was able to help. With their support, Lily secured more suitable temporary accommodation, with a kitchen, washing machine and shower. Then on July 11th, Lily picked up the keys to her new social home – well ahead of Christmas Day. 

The ‘Duvet that Does Good’ raised money for Shelter and their national charity partners across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, supporting their effort to drive awareness of those currently living in temporary accommodation as a result of homelessness and helping them to overcome their situation.

This activity was one of IKEA and Shelter’s long-term partnership which has already seen Real Life Roomsets brought to life in store to raise awareness of the housing emergency. Additionally, the partnership included the training of IKEA co-workers to become Housing Navigators, enabling them to better understand and combat homelessness, and help signpost those affected to various places for support and advice.