How common is Hoarding Disorder?

Hoarding disorder is a common condition but because many people feel embarrassment and shame about it, exact figures about its prevalence are difficult to obtain. In reality, almost everyone has hoarding traits but these may not manifest as a problem. It is estimated that between 4 to 6 percent of the population have difficulties with the condition and the number of people accessing help has increased with recent media attention as more sufferers are beginning to recognise that they may have a problem. Many others only realise that they have a hoarding problem when their homes require maintenance or when they receive complaints from neighbours or visits from housing support teams, family and friends or the emergency services.