HOUSING
‘Big Issue saved the day.’ What happened after council told disabled man to make himself homeless
George Fielding has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Rent rises have led him to fear he might lose his London home, but when he contacted Hammersmith and Fulham Council for support, he was told his options were to remain in the borough for another 18 months, or to make himself homeless. The council’s housing support service advised he could “write to your landlady and ask for eviction on the grounds that she can’t afford the adaptations you need”.
It was only after The Big Issue contacted the council that they apologised, and pointed Fielding to advice he is entitled to. They said they would use his case as a “training exercise”.
“Access to housing is so convoluted that even professionals don’t understand it,” Fielding told us. “How often do they offer the wrong advice to people in situations more acute than mine?”
After his follow-up, he has been told it’s likely he is entitled to a rent top-up, which may allow him to keep his flat. He added: “The Big Issue saved the day.”
His story prompted a wave of reaction among our readers, many of whom have shared similar experiences. Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa said: “It is disgusting how disabled people are treated by housing providers including local authorities.”
A reader posted on Instagram, “They have said
