Scourge

There is a scourge of homelessness in our land today. If you have walked about Hackney, as I have for the last 25 years, you will recognise this.

When I started my career Thatcher was in power and the streets of London were carpeted with men and women in sleeping bags, largely ignored by the yuppies who were benefiting from the deregulation of the City.

“Hello, my name is Vanessa. I’m homeless.”

“Please Sir, I’m begging you.”

“They said they would come and meet me and talk about my problems, but it’s been weeks.”

“Big Issue”

“I’m pregnan.t”

“I’m sorry to disturb you all tonight but I’m homeless and I need money for a hostel. If you have any spare change or food that would be greatly appreciated.”

“I was in hospital last week. It was infected.”

“They won’t take the dog.”

“I used to work.”

“I had a heart attack.”

“Please.”

These are the voices. You have all heard them. They are everywhere, around Waterloo, around King’s Cross, around Hackney Central. Some of you gave money, some of you avoided eye contact and walked away. Many of you did both at one time or another. It’s inhuman and it’s understandable.

The problem of homelessness is as bad as it has ever been in Hackney in modern times. All of London would say that about London.

If only we could build 100,000 Council flats a year for the next 5 years, and do away with the Right to Buy. That would get my vote.

Off the street

Off  the Street

In 7 days we saw 4 people who were homeless and living on the street. After that they weren’t homeless.

One missed his family in a far away land and showed us his infected feet. One had been beaten within an inch of her life. One worked on a zero hour contract while her husband’s heart seized up. All of them catapulted to living on the pavement.

Two were refugees. One has serious kidney problems. One was a domestic violence victim. Two have serious mental health problems. One has been mutilated. Three have benefit problems. One is on sick leave. One can’t work due to homelessness. One is about to retire. One will have to move to Universal Credit. One might have the wrong passport.

One has a phone that is almost out of juice. One doesn’t have a phone. One shakes my hand, one rails at me on a daily basis and we agree to do better next time.

One shakes in a place of safety. One speaks excellent English but misunderstands certain words. One was sent to us only 2 hours before Bank Holiday weekend when every rightminded individual is going home.

People are complicated. The river of facts that ran through their lives led to one living on the streets for six months. Another for two weeks. Two for one night.

And all struggled to show that they were vulnerable legally. And all had roofs over their head by the Bank Holiday.

And that was just a sticking plaster.

Spit on a Stove

The right to homelessness assistance in this country is something that we can all be very proud of. The fact that a family or someone who is vulnerable due to health conditions should have a legal right to have a roof over their head is what civilisation is for.

In a week 3 women we helped established their right to homelessness assistance, to the point that their Local Authorities all accepted the full homelessness duty. A duty to ensure that they should have homes that are suitable and affordable with some security. A reasonable preference to bid for social housing. These are important rights.                                                                                                                                                  
3 cases.

Elizabeth has had mental health problems but was a long term trusted tenant. She couldn’t pay her rent and couldn’t open the mail. She was evicted because she was too afraid to open the door of her flat. A Council said she should get a second chance after careful examination of her medical evidence.

Jackie got a bad reference from her landlord after she was evicted so she and her children became intentionally homeless. Her children did not go to school for some time. A Council told us they had spoken to the landlord and disbelieved his bad reference.  After that her children went to school.

Van came with her mother from Italy as a little girl. After many years of living in the UK, working she found herself splendidly pregnant and homeless. After considering reams of payslips and other evidence, a Council said she is one of us and put her in a hostel.

And it was easy as that.  

In reality 6 years of time were spent by our clients in these cases asserting their civic rights. It took lawyers and volunteers to make this possible. Legal Aid cuts are not for free, and next week another 3 will be homeless.

A great system for helping homeless families isn’t worth spit on a stove when we can cure symptoms but not the disease.