Almost 1,200 people every week are being put at risk of losing their home in the North West
ALARMING new figures from housing
charity Shelter have revealed more than 1,200 people in the North West were put
at risk of losing their home every week in the last year.
In an analysis of statistics from the Ministry of Justice, the charity
identified how many people are at risk of eviction and repossession as well as
the 'home threat hotspots' across the North West where people are most
likely to face the risk of losing their home.
Manchester topped the list in the North West with as many as 1 in every 66 homes
under threat of eviction or repossession, followed by Rochdale (1 in 68),
Salford (1 in 76) and Knowlsley (1 in 76). And these shocking figures are borne
out by the sheer number of people visiting the Shelter website looking for
advice on repossession and eviction, with 360,000 unique visits in the last year
alone.
Bill Murdoch, 52, lost his job
as a bus driver after suddenly losing the sight in 1 eye last year. Things
started spiralling downwards when he missed two payments on a loan secured
against his home, and he contacted Shelter for help. "I'd always done my job with a smile on my face but once I lost my sight,
it was over. The bills started to mount up and, even though we'd had been making
the payments without fail for years, the loan company told us they were going to
take away our home.
Coming on top of losing my sight and my job, stressed doesn't begin to describe
how I felt when our home was under threat. I have never been more terrified than
I was on the day the court order came. The only thing that gave me hope was when
I contacted Shelter who helped us through the court process. If it wasn't for
that, we'd have lost everything."
Nadeem Khan, helpline adviser for Shelter, said:- "We're hearing from
thousands of people who have suffered in silence while they struggle to keep up
with their rent or mortgage, and come to us in desperation when the court papers
finally land on their doormat.
It's natural to feel helpless in the face of mounting bills, but getting expert
advice as soon as you start having trouble with housing payments can really help
you see the light at the end of the tunnel, and keep the threat of losing your
home at bay."
Alison Mohammed, Shelter's director of services, said:- "These staggering
figures show just how many people are fighting to keep their families in their
homes, after dealing with the double blow of welfare cuts and a drastic shortage
of affordable housing.
We're doing everything we can to give advice and support to anyone who faces
losing the roof over their heads, but the government must also play its part by
putting a stop to further cuts to the safety net, which helps ordinary families
stay in their homes."
Shelter helps 4 million people a year fight bad housing and homelessness through
its online, helpline and face to face services. For free, expert advice from
Shelter visit:-
Shelter.Org.UK/Advice or call the helpline on:- 0808 800 4444.
