Working single mother denied council house despite being left with £100 a month after rent

By Hannah Neary, Local Democracy Reporter

A working single mum with three children says searching for a home in London has been “hell” after authorities refused to offer her a council home.

Amber Noel, 28, fears she will have to quit her job and move her children to different schools because the local council refused her application for a council flat.

Amber, an admin support worker earning £24,000 a year, says she cannot afford to rent privately in her hometown Pimlico.

Amber claimed she was told that she couldn’t get a council house because she earned too much.

She said: “It’s been hell. Considering a three bedroom property in Pimlico costs nothing less than £1900 a month that is basically my whole salary – I’d be left with about £100 for the rest of the month.

“I could be in financial hardship for the rest of my life trying to find a permanent home for my family.”

The average property in Pimlico costs £1.4 million and the average monthly rent for a three-bed property is £2,200 a week, according to Foxtons estate agency.

Amber and her children Malachi, 11, Omari, 4, and Amira, 11 months, had been living in overcrowded conditions for years at her mum’s flat in Pimlico, which flooded on December 5.

At the time, nine people were living in the three-bed flat, which is owned by Westminster City Council.

Amber said: “We were severely overcrowded but I made it work.

“I decided to stay at my mum’s to save so that I could then buy somewhere and pay a mortgage.

“But every time I look at the property ladder to buy in Pimlico, it’s just getting more and more ridiculous, where flats are like a million pounds.

“It’s like they’re making it impossible to even get on the property ladder.”

While her mum’s flat was being fixed, Amber and her children were put in temporary accommodation in Tottenham, and she decided to apply for a council house.

But her application was rejected by Westminster City Council and she remains stuck in short-term housing until she finds a private place to rent.

Amber said: “I have no support there and I’ve been given no clear plan for how long I’ll be at the property.

“I have no issue paying rent if it’s social housing.”

She added: “I may as well give up my job and go on benefits.”

Amber said she might have to quit her job if she leaves Westminster because she would not be able to afford the commute.

She also worries that her sons would have to move schools – her eldest, Malachi, attends an outstanding local school and Omari, 4, goes to the primary school where all of her siblings went.

She added: “If I leave and move to the outskirts of London it’s not ideal because I don’t know if I could afford travelling to get my kids to school and to work.

“If I can’t get my children from school my mum, sisters or brother can get them because we all live near each other.

“If I move out of Pimlico or Westminster entirely that’s my support system gone.”

Cllr David Harvey, the council’s lead member for housing, said: “I understand Amber’s frustrations since the leak to her mother’s home at the beginning of December.

“Our services urgently redecorated their property and the works are now complete to a high standard including a refurbished modern kitchen and bathroom.

“In Westminster, there are more than 4,000 households on a waiting list for accommodation.

“We are legally obliged to allocate our homes to those who are next in line and this also makes it fair to everyone.

“We are committed to building much-needed affordable homes, which is a key part of the council’s ambition to create a ‘City for All’, enabling people of all backgrounds, needs and aspirations to live in the city.

“We have been in close contact with Amber regarding her housing situation and we will help and support her and her family as much as we can, while being fair to others.

“We will remain in touch with Amber as we continue to source temporary housing in Westminster.”