Sofia Cox, a 59-year-old former English teacher, says she has been left homeless on the streets of Liverpool and was treated with "zero empathy" by those operating local services.
Until earlier this year, Cox was living in Dubai and teaching, but left when the war in the Middle East broke out and returned to England. After a difficult run of events, she ended up in Liverpool with no money and nowhere to live.
Why Sofia chose Liverpool
Cox says she chose to come to Liverpool because of the recommendations of a long-standing friend and because she wants to set up a new business in the city when she gets back on her feet.
However, having approached Liverpool City Council and The Whitechapel Centre, the city's main homelessness charity, Cox claims she was turned down for help and treated poorly.
Council and charity response
The council and the charity said they could not help her because she has no local connection to Liverpool. Whitechapel says they offered Cox a night in their shelter on the agreement she would be transferred out of the city the next day, but she turned this down.
Cox says being left outside Liverpool Central Station at night with her bags and nowhere to turn was one of the most "traumatic" experiences of her life. She is determined to stay in the city and is trying to raise funds to pay for accommodation.
