Boy, nine, writes to Father Christmas asking for a 'forever home' for his homeless family

A nine-year-old boy has penned a moving letter to Father Christmas asking for a “forever home” for him and his family.

In the heartbreaking letter Louis Williams, whose family is homeless, said: “I don’t want any new toys I just want all of my old toys that are in storage”.

He said he would like his own Lego bedroom where he could build his models and added: “Everyone is sad living here and I just want us to be happy again”.

Mum Nicola Williams, who shared the letter on social media, said she felt heartbroken that all her son was asking for this year was a home for their family of four.

The 31-year-old and her three children became homeless in January when Nicola was unable to keep up her rent payments, despite working as a trainee teacher and running her own children’s party business.

The family currently lives in a two-bedroom maisonette in temporary accommodation with not even enough room to put a Christmas tree up.

Nicola, from Dartford, Kent, said Louis has had 14 different homes during his life and the family has been moved to two different council properties since becoming homeless in January.

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She said: “I felt gutted reading his letter. It’s not right that all he’s asking for is a home for himself. Nobody asked him to write that, it’s just all he wants.

“He has had 14 different homes, and never had a somewhere he can really call home. I feel like I’ve let him down. Seeing what all the other children are asking for, this breaks my heart.

“There’s not even enough room to put a Christmas tree up, they can’t even play with their toys. The kids ask when it’ll go up and it breaks my heart. I do my best as a mother, but this was gutting.”

Nicola, who is originally from Manchester, said Louis wrote the letter to Santa, addressed at the North Pole, after becoming so stressed by the damp conditions in their current home that he collapsed at school.

She said she has been put on a waiting list with Dartford Council but felt “alone”.

“I know there are people who will be more vulnerable than us,” she added, “but it’s just not right that in this day and age a child should only be asking for a home this Christmas.

“It winds me up because I work two jobs, I work really hard but just can’t afford the rent down here.”

Dartford Council has been approached for comment.