Jenny's Story

Homelessness can happen to anyone. You can be homeless even if you have a roof over your head. In order to receive homelessness assistance you must meet certain criteria set out by the Government. These legal tests can be hard to meet and because of this not everyone is entitled to help. Knowing your rights and getting the right advice can make a huge difference to people’s lives. It can be the difference between getting affordable housing or not.  Jenny* is a client we are helping at present, she shares her experience of homelessness.

I am a single mum with two kids of 15 and 17 still at home

At the minute I consider myself to be homeless, although I have not yet had been declared officially homeless by NIHE and am currently fighting (with help from Housing Rights Service)  for that decision to be taken.  I am renting privately and am expected to make up a shortfall of £170.00 a month. On benefits this is just impossible.

I did own my own home but due to a change in circumstances and my child becoming ill I got into problems with my finances and could no longer afford the mortgage.

The uncertainty of the situation has a big impact on everyone, I am on anti depressants and my kids have had problems keeping up with school work.

I can’t really think about the future, I live pretty much week to week. What I am sure of is that this is not our home and that clouds everything. I don’t really feel that as a family we have a future until we have somewhere we can afford that we can call home.

If it wasn’t for Housing Rights Service fighting our case I really don’t know what I would do. Fingers crossed it will all work out.

Help us help more people like Jenny who are facing homelessness. Make a donation to Housing Rights Service.

*name has been changed