Family S was made homeless in April this year after their Housing Benefit was reduced by the introduction of a new cap and they were unable to afford the rent on their private rented accommodation.
The family has two young children, one of whom is seriously ill and was at the time receiving daily treatment at a central London hospital. The local authority was aware of this yet only told the family on the day of their eviction that they would be moved to B& B accommodation 15 miles outside London. This was entirely inappropriate – it required a 2 hour journey on public transport to the hospital each day, which was not just expensive; it also put the child’s health at further risk with exposure to unhygienic conditions through shared facilities in the B&B, and whilst travelling to and from the hospital.