A 74-year-old woman facing eviction from her home in Havering, outer London, is still liable for council tax on the property she can no longer access. Susan, who asked for her full name not to be used, was given an eviction order to leave by 19 March after her landlord decided to sell due to the cost of living crisis and tax changes on rental income.
On the advice of her local council, Susan has chosen to remain in the property until bailiffs remove her later this year, a strategy that allows her to claim support as unintentionally homeless. However, she is unable to afford private rents on her small pension and has been unable to find a landlord willing to accept an older tenant on a fixed income. Susan also has a disability and is being treated for depression.
Government figures released earlier this month show the number of homeless older people has risen by more than 50% in four years, reaching 2,610 by September 2023. Temporary accommodation is scarce, especially in Greater London, and Susan risks being moved away from her daughter, who has stage four cancer and lives nearby.
Morgan Vine, head of policy at charity Independent Age, said older renters on low incomes are often overlooked by government and councils, despite being particularly vulnerable to eviction due to fixed incomes. She added that many pensioners fear reporting poor housing conditions because they worry about revenge evictions.
