Spotlight on Homeless Crisis in Ealing

As the charity Shelter release shocking new figures we hear the case of one local family

An Ealing Councillor is calling for urgent action to rehouse a family with three young children who have been forced to live in a temporary bed and breakfast outside the borough.

Raj and Niro Kamalraj had been living in a flat in Ealing since 2010 but were told by their landlord they had to leave their short-hold tenancy and a final notice was served at the end of October.

The only suitable housing for them was out of the borough at a temporary bed and breakfast in Hayes.

It takes around 45 minutes to get the children to and from Christ the Saviour Primary School in Ealing and Mrs Kalmalraj told us it was having a huge impact on them all: ''The children are very tired and stressed and we desperate to move somewhere closer.''

Their local church took up their case and Vicar of Church of The Ascension in Hanger Hill, Reverend Simon Reed, has written:

'' At present they are housed in temporary accommodation a considerable distance from their children's school and nursery in Ealing W5, and their social and support network here at their local church. Their accomodation is poorly furnished and has poor hygiene. The situation is unacceptable in every way and can only be harmful for a family with three young children.''

Hanger Hill Conservative Councillor, Joy Morrissey, is trying to help the family and said she is very concerned: '' I visited their B&B and it is infested with cockroaches and I fear for the emotional toll this is taking on their young children and the current health and safely risk this property poses.''

There are there are 6,529 people living in temporary accommodation in the borough and according to the recent figures released by the Housing Charity, Shelter, 1 in 52 are homeless. Ealing is 15th in a national ranking of 50 authorities.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “It’s shocking to think that today, more than 300,000 people in Britain are waking up homeless. Some will have spent the night shivering on a cold pavement, others crammed into a dingy, hostel room with their children. And what is worse, many are simply unaccounted for.

“On a daily basis, we speak to hundreds of people and families who are desperately trying to escape the devastating trap of homelessness. A trap that is tightening thanks to decades of failure to build enough affordable homes and the impact of welfare cuts.

“As this crisis continues to unfold, the work of our frontline services remains absolutely critical. We will do all we can to make sure no-one is left to fight homelessness on their own. But we cannot achieve this alone; we urgently need the public’s support to be there for everyone who needs us right now.”

Shelter has launched an urgent appeal please visit www.shelter.org.uk or text SHELTER to 70080 to donate £3.

An Ealing Council spokesperson said, “This household became homeless on 30 October and the council has accepted a duty to help them under homelessness legislation.  They were offered newly refurbished emergency temporary accommodation which meets the required standard in a nearby borough which they accepted on 30 October. 

''They were offered alternative temporary accommodation on 7 November which they declined, advising the council they preferred to stay where they are until more long-term accommodation could be identified. They have been advised that we are unable to provide a time frame for when that accommodation will become available.”

November 15 2017 (updated 20th)