Elderly forced to share home (From Echo)

Elderly forced to share home

5:00pm Tuesday 18th September 2007 in

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ELDERLY residents in council-run sheltered homes are being forced to share their accommodation with homeless people.

Despite having empty B&B accommodation for which the council has paid in excess of £66,000, homeless people are being placed in Amelia Blackwell House, on Canvey.

The warden-controlled flats have shared washing facilities, and residents, many in their eighties and nineties, are being forced to jostle with people half their age to get to a bathroom.

Castle Point Council confirmed four homeless people over 50, and the teenage daughter of one of them, were currently being accommodated at Amelia Blackwell House.

It is the second time elderly residents have been forced to share with the homeless.

Resident Albert Howard, 85, said: "Last time we had a 25-year-old in here who left after we complained. It started again about six months ago. We have got five here at the moment. As soon as someone goes into hospital or dies, they move a homeless person in. I don't know what's happening with the residential home list, but we haven't had any new people in for a long time.

"They have all got jobs and go off to work every morning. One of them is a taxi driver. We try not to have much to do with them. It's a bit of an us-and-them situation."

Mr Howard said residents had complained to the council to no avail.

He said: "A woman from the council said there was nothing she could do."

Last week, the council said it had given notice to its contracted B&B owners to end an existing agreement, which saw too many rooms block-booked because the council overestimated its homeless problem.

The rooms remain empty, leading some to question why they have not been used instead of the sheltered accommodation units.

Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Independent Party, said: "This is a disgrace. Elderly people have called me to complain about it. We have got elderly ladies of 80 having to share a bathroom with middle-aged men.

"The council is paying out money for B&B accommodation which it isn't using. If people have jobs what right have they got to be there?

"I wouldn't want my mother to be in there with these people."

David Randerson, housing business services manager, said: "Castle Point Council has a duty to find accommodation for homeless people and careful thought is given to the most appropriate location.

"When people in their fifties claim homelessness - particularly where they have their own care needs - sheltered housing can be the most appropriate location.

"This ensures the best result for the individual and also minimises disruption to the daily operation of our sheltered housing schemes."