A devastated father has slammed council officials for their 'heartless bureaucracy' after they blocked his family's urgent move to be near his dying mother.
Anthony Williamson, 34, had found a perfect property swap that would have allowed his young family to provide crucial support and care for his mother, Julie, who was in the final stages of a terminal illness. He applied to Wigan Council for approval, a standard requirement for such mutual exchanges.
Despite explaining the profoundly compassionate circumstances, the council rejected the application. Their reason? A rigid policy that forbids downsizing—even though the new property had more bedrooms. The family was trapped.
A Race Against Time
"We were in a race against time," Anthony explained. "My mum was deteriorating fast, and we just wanted to be there for her, to help with her care and to create what little memories we could with our children. The council's decision felt unbelievally cruel."
Tragically, just two weeks after the council's rejection, Julie passed away. The family's chance to be together during her most vulnerable moments was stolen by what they describe as a 'lack of common sense and humanity'.
Council's Response
When approached for comment, a Wigan Council spokesperson stated: "While we offer our deepest condolences to the family, we have a duty to apply our policies fairly to all. This includes rules around under-occupation to make the best use of our housing stock."
For Anthony, his partner, and their two children, the apology is too little, too late. Their story raises serious questions about whether housing policies should have the flexibility to account for extreme human hardship and terminal illness.
