Couple on hunger strike to protest over lack of housing (From The Northern Echo)

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Alan and Janine Bennett on hunger strike to protest over lack of housing

8:36am Saturday 4th September 2010 in News Photograph of the Author By Catherine Priestley, Chief Reporter (Sedgefield)

HOME HUNT: Alan and Janine Bennett and their son, James

A COUPLE are on hunger strike after being on a council house waiting list for a decade.

Alan and Janine Bennett have been offered one home in ten years, which they say was unsuitable for them and their 21-month-old son, James.

They have vowed not to eat, starting yesterday, until a doctor advises against their action, in protest to a lack of affordable social housing.

Mr Bennett said: “James will be looked after properly, but we are on hunger strike because we are just sick of waiting.

“We are desperate for a council house, but this is also about making the authorities take notice. There is a serious lack of social housing available and things have to change.”

The couple first applied to the former Sedgefield Borough Council for a house about ten years ago.

Since last year, they have been on the Durham Key Options’ housing register, which allocates social housing across County Durham.

As residents of the county, renting a house in Newton Aycliffe, they are eligible for a council house and considered a medium priority.

The system prioritises applications based on factors such as medical need, homelessness, poor living conditions and hardship and nearly 15,000 applicants are registered.

Mrs Bennett, 27, is currently on sick leave from her job as a support worker, suffering from post-natal depression, and her husband, 40, who works at a psychiatric hospital, has also suffered from depression.

Since last October, they have unsuccessfully applied for 40 houses, 34 in Newton Aycliffe managed by housing association Sedgefield Borough Homes, and others further afield.

A house recently became available in Sedgefield, but they declined it, fearing the eight mile move while Mrs Bennett is unwell would take them away from family support.

Mr Bennett said: “For years we applied for anything that came up, but now we really need to be close to family.

“We are impoverished and need stability, without that security we’ll never feel truly at home.

“There are simply not enough social houses. One hundred people applied for one property in this town alone, we just hope the right people take notice and start building more.”

Sedgefield Borough Homes’ records show the couple have been waiting since 2003.

A spokesman said: “The current economic climate has contributed to a rapid rise in demand for affordable social housing across the whole of the UK.

“Tackling the housing shortage requires collaborative thinking between all providers of social housing and local government agencies.

“We have close links with Durham County Council in its role as strategic housing authority, as well as its partner providers in the region.

“All partners are working closely with the joint aim of increasing the overall supply of affordable social housing across County Durham.”

Comments(17)

Super steve says...
9:33am Sat 4 Sep 10

They BOTH work so they can get a mortgage to buy their own, or they can privately rent, this " I should be given" mentality blights this region.