Protesters occupy South London council offices in support of mum and son stuck in hostel for 2 years

The protesters entered the council's offices in Catford, South London at around 11am on Thursday (October 31)
-Credit: (Image: Robert Firth)


Protesters are holding a sit-in at Lewisham Council's offices to demand officials rehouse two families they claim are living in unsuitable temporary accommodation. Around 80 demonstrators, some dressed as witches, have gathered inside Laurence House in Catford, South London today (October 31) in support of the families.

Mum Anabel, 23, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, has been living in a one-room hostel where she and her young son for over two years. Her son, who is two years old, has spent almost his entire life in the cramped council-managed accommodation, where the family must share the bathroom and toilet with other families

Since 2003, it has been against the law for families with kids to be kept in bed and breakfasts and hostels for over six weeks. But a loophole in the law means that the rules don't apply when a property is owned or run by a local authority.

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There is little space in the b&b room for Anabel and her son's possessions
There is little space in the room for Anabel and her son's possessions -Credit:Robert Firth

The second family spent over a year living in a council managed hostel before being moved to what they claim is overcrowded temporary accommodation outside of the borough and far from their support network.

Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth (HASL), who have been supporting both families, claim that instead of helping them, the council is exploiting legal loopholes and creating long delays to avoid providing them with suitable housing.

HASL wrote to the council earlier in October calling for local social housing for both families. According to HASL, the council responded insisting that both families' temporary accommodation was suitable.

Anabel said: "I am worried that the lack of space is affecting his development. There is not enough room to play. The council do not really help you and the staff can be rude and do not care. I have been trying to get moved for two years but it has never felt like the council has listened to me. I think they have just forgotten about me."

Protesters are demanding the families are given social housing in Lewisham
Protesters are demanding the families are given social housing in Lewisham -Credit:Robert Firth

Demonstrators chanted 'too long in temporary', 'que pasa que no tenemos pasa [what's happening, we don't have a reason]' and 'Lewisham Council hear us say: homelessness must end today', despite council officials' pleas for them to quieten down. Protesters had come from across London and as far as Dartford in Kent to support the families.

Elizabeth Wyatt, a HASL member, said: "It's unbelievable that Lewisham Council is justifying these harmful living conditions. It has now been over two years that Anabel's family have been stuck in these hazardous and stressful conditions. We're here to say that this is definitely not okay for our members or for anyone.

"As well as the devastating impact on these families, Lewisham Council's refusal to respect the six week limit for hostel accommodation for families undermines everyone's homeless rights. This law is there to provide minimum standards and very basic protections for vulnerable homeless families, but Lewisham Council wants to lower these standards even further. It is a dystopian vision that the council appears to be fighting for."

A Lewisham Council spokesperson said, “Like the rest of London, Lewisham is facing a housing crisis and we are seeing more and more people come to us for housing support. We are currently supporting more than 2,900 families and individuals in temporary accommodation, have 11,000 households on our housing register waiting for permanent housing, and we have huge budget challenges. As a local authority, we have a responsibility to ensure that any family facing homelessness is provided with suitable accommodation.

"In each case our officers will work closely with the household to find the best way forward. Today, c officers met with the protestors and offered assessments to both households and will be reviewing both cases based on the information provided. We completely understand the frustration felt by the residents and their supportive community. Housing families in temporary accommodation for long periods of time is not what we want to be doing but sometimes has to be used as a last resort due to the pressures of lack of supply of good quality homes. We will continue working with the families to find suitable accommodation.”

Got a story? Email robert.firth@reachplc.com

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