A GRIEVING husband has told how he’s being forced to spend Christmas living on the streets after his wife died.
Thousands of Brits face being homeless this festive season because of no-fault evictions and the soaring cost of living.
Peter JordanThousands of Brits will spend Christmas on the streets[/caption]
So far two rough sleepers have already died in the UK this winter – and the weather is only getting worse as Storm Pia sweeps in this weekend.
Speaking to MyLondon, Tyler told how he has been left on the streets after his life took a turn for the worse.
He said: “I lost my wife in March and I haven’t slept indoors since then – not one night.
“It’s been hard man. It’s cold, it’s Christmas coming up, you know.”
Another rough sleeper, Jasmine, told how she is forced to pick the streets over temporary accommodation – because of drugs.
She said: “I’ve been clean for just over a year. Places they want to put me in are full of people that are on drugs.
“How can you put someone who’s in recovery in a place like that?
“It doesn’t make sense. So I have to sleep rough until they find me an appropriate place.”
Fiona Colley, Director of Social Change at the charity Homeless Link, said: “The number of new people being forced to sleep rough in London is both tragic and shameful.
“Everyone has the right to a safe and suitable home.”
It has been estimated that 3,500 families face being threatened with homelessness over the Christmas period, with no-fault evictions to blame in the case of hundreds of people.
A Government spokesperson said: “We are taking action to ensure people have the help and support they need to stay in their homes – especially at Christmas.
“We are already abolishing section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions through our landmark Renters Reform Bill, investing £1 billion in the Homelessness Prevention Grant to support people at risk of homelessness and 1.6 million low-income households will see their Local Housing Allowance increase by around £800 next year.
“Our Mortgage Charter is also providing extra protections against repossessions as well as making it easier to manage monthly repayments.”
It comes as a mum has been left in “limbo” without clothes or a passport for nine weeks and is now facing Christmas homeless.
Andrea Gilbert, 36, has been sofa surfing after she was evicted from her South London home in October.
Meanwhile desperate victims of homelessness say a wave of abuse and humiliation at Christmas is turning Britain’s streets into a ‘boneyard’.
Last weekend, shocking footage emerged of rough sleeper Aaron McCarthy, 25, being soaked by a “heartless” security guard outside a McDonald’s in Victoria, London.
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