Elderly Woman, 75, Expresses Distress Over Homelessness

Susan Curtis, at the age of 75, aspires to a life of comfort and dignity. However, without a home and feeling despair, she endeavors daily to meet her fundamental requirements from a small hotel room situated in Romford, east London. Homelessness has, by certain metrics, reached unprecedented levels. In 2010, the population of rough sleepers in England was recorded at 1,768. This figure subsequently climbed, reaching its highest point in 2017. The most recent official statistics show it at 3,898, which is 120% greater than the 2010 total. Susan lacks suitable cooking amenities, experiences poor health, including a lung disease, and requires a hip replacement. Furthermore, she is now impacted by London’s housing crisis. She states that she lives in apprehension that her circumstances could worsen, potentially leading to her living on the street. “I don’t like being here, I feel hopeless and scared of the consequences that they are holding over my head with the threat of throwing me out, so I am on edge.” This current lifestyle has been unexpected for Susan. Prior to August, she resided in a privately-rented maisonette, which housed her personal furniture, belongings, and her beloved cat, Charlie. Nevertheless, mirroring a growing trend, Susan’s landlady sold the property, compelling Susan to vacate the dwelling she had inhabited for 13 years. “It was a shock,” she recounts. “All of my furniture had to go into storage and I’m a bit of a painter – I have some large paintings that I’ve done. “My furniture is all hand finished by me and I lost all that.” Sustained by a state pension and disability benefits, and confronting escalating London rents, she discovered she was unable to secure an alternative private tenancy. “I’m unacceptable to housing agents, they simply wouldn’t take me on,” Susan explains. Consequently, she approached her local authority for housing. Councils bear a legal responsibility to accommodate the homeless. Yet, with an estimated 183,000 individuals in London residing in temporary accommodations furnished by their local authorities, this modest hotel room represented the optimal offering from Havering Council. Directly opposite her single bed, within close proximity, rests a microwave, serving as her sole appliance for food preparation. However, she notes that she can only consume a finite number of ready meals. “Feeding myself is practically impossible here, I just have fruit and biscuits until I can get to my daughter’s for a proper dinner.” The room lacks a sink, meaning all washing up must be performed in the small bathroom wash basin. This basin also serves for her personal washing, as a substantial step to access the shower prevents her from using it, she explains. Lacking a washing machine, she relies on others to handle her laundry. Fortunately, this hotel is situated merely a few miles from her daughter Emma’s residence, where Susan is routinely invited for warm meals, companionship, and access to modern amenities. Susan remains unaware of how long she will continue to live under these circumstances. She describes this as a predicament from which she sees no exit. “It’s a brutal system and I feel ill-equipped to deal with it,” Susan remarks. Susan is presently one of 2,500 individuals on Havering Council’s waiting list for a permanent dwelling. Nevertheless, she expresses concern about being pressured into accepting housing no better than her hotel room, or facing the prospect of being “turned out on to the street.” She asserts she should be in sheltered accommodation but holds the belief that she is “at the bottom of the list” for consideration when vacancies emerge. When questioned about the possibility of moving in with her daughter and grandson, she stated it was not viable, as doing so would breach her daughter’s tenancy agreement for her council home and result in their collective eviction. Furthermore, she wishes to avoid placing any additional burden on Emma, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. Havering Council informed the BBC that Susan’s homelessness resulted from her private landlord’s eviction, a growing concern. The council indicated that caseworkers were endeavoring to secure a sheltered housing unit for her, but cautioned that this could require up to a year. A spokesperson commented: “Like many councils across the country, Havering is facing a housing crisis. “Therefore while we do all we can to place residents within their existing communities and networks – due to the chronic shortage of housing and unprecedented demand – sadly this is not always possible.” For more from BBC Radio London, listen on Sounds, and follow BBC London on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story suggestions can be sent to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.