A former teacher from Dorset claims she was left sleeping rough on the streets of Liverpool after her housing benefits were stopped, forcing her to sell her grandmother's jewellery to pay for accommodation.
Sofia Cox, 59, worked as a secondary school teacher in England before moving to Dubai, where she taught for the last decade. She returned to the UK earlier this year after war broke out in Iran and the Middle East and following a violent incident at the school where she worked.
On her return, Sofia said she experienced a number of difficult events. Initially living in Northamptonshire, she claims she was financially exploited before losing her housing allowance, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Move to Liverpool and loss of benefits
Sofia moved to Liverpool in September on the recommendation of a long-standing family friend and because she believed the city was the best place to establish an AI Music business she had hoped to launch. But when she arrived, she said she suddenly found that her housing benefits had stopped, based on the date she left her last property, leaving her without money for accommodation.
Sofia told the ECHO: "I didn't realise I was going to lose my housing benefit when I came to Liverpool, I also thought I would have access to my teacher's pension, which I have been unable to access. So I would have easily had enough to put down a deposit on a flat and a first month's rent. I never came here wanting to be a burden on the system."
Realising she was in a new city with no money, Sofia was forced to appeal to family and friends on her birthday in September to pay for a short period in an AirBnB property. She also began applying to Liverpool City Council for housing help.
Night on the streets
When that money ran out, she said she had no option but to walk into the Whitechapel Centre, Liverpool's principal homelessness charity, and register there. She was subsequently given an appointment with the same charity the next day.
She said: "I was triaged there and told to expect a call from Liverpool Council. They called me after I left the centre and told me I would have to go to Bedford, a place I lived 10 years ago and where I have no connections with and no money to get to. Then the woman on the phone hung up on me."
She added: "By this point I was exhausted, stressed and distraught. I went back to the Whitechapel centre crying and was told to wait in a room full of men. There is no separate waiting room for women. For a woman who is not used to being homeless, this was a big issue for me. There was a man who was high on drugs in there."
Sofia said she was told to leave the charity and call the same helpline numbers she had already called. She said a staff member told her there were two possible placements for her and that she would call back shortly - but she never did.
As the hours ticked by, Sofia said she continued to call the number from Liverpool Central Library where she had holed up for the day. She added: "I rang the Whitechapel centre again. By this point it was dark and I was scared. I had specifically said I was afraid to be out alone with all my luggage at night. They said someone would come out and assess me but gave no time frame. The library closed at 8pm so I was out on the street with my luggage."
Eventually around 8.30pm, Sofia said she was visited by two staff members from the Whitechapel's outreach team who asked her more questions about her circumstances. She claims after the discussion the men went to their car, came back and said they couldn't help her.
She said: "They drove away and left me at around 9pm, with my luggage, on the street, in the dark, outside the Central Library. I dialled 999 and asked the police for help. They told me to ring the council or the Whitechapel Centre."
Disputed account and responses
This account is disputed by the Whitechapel Centre, which said the outreach team that visited Sofia offered her a stay in their night assessment hub on the provision that she would be funded to travel out of the city the following day, but that she refused this offer. The Whitechapel Centre also said that when assessing Sofia earlier they advised her of potential issues due to her lack of local connection to Liverpool.
In a last desperate attempt to stay off the city streets, Sofia sold jewellery given to her from her grandmother to pay for accommodation. But she says that when that runs out she has nowhere left to turn.
She said she felt she had been treated with "zero concern or empathy by those who are employed to care", labelling that moment in Liverpool where she was left with her bags as "one of the most traumatic experiences of my life."
She added: "The whole system needs replacing. I am not an addict, I had a career and a house. I am actually so resourceful and so if I can end up homeless on the streets, anyone can."
Despite her difficult experiences, Sofia said she is determined to stay in Liverpool and has been heartened by the kindness of Scousers. She said: "Strangers have been really kind, I really want to stay here and be part of Liverpool."
Sofia is currently trying to crowdfund enough money to retain accommodation. She is hoping to raise awareness of her music, created under her artist name of Rubberband$.
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: "We can't comment on individual cases but government legislation requires us to assess applications against a number of criteria, including their links to the local area."
"People are advised not to travel to another place they have no substantial links with, and voluntarily giving up or abandoning accommodation is also advised against. We'll always provide additional advice and guidance where necessary even if we do not have a duty to accommodate."
A spokesperson for the Whitechapel Centre said: "Sofia Cox attended for an appointment at our assessment centre on 30th September, following telephone contact with our Outreach Team."
"Our centre is a busy environment but we work hard to make it a safe environment for everyone who is waiting to be seen. Almost 70% of clients accessing our services are male. Had we known Ms Cox found difficulties with this environment, we would have looked for an alternative room and space."
"Our Housing Advisor met Sofia and completed an assessment to establish her housing related support needs. We advised Sofia of the steps through homeless services, including referral to LCC's Housing Solutions Service for a Homeless Assessment and the process that would follow."
"Through our assessment we foresaw potential issues relating to local connection and advised Sofia of this. We completed a Duty to Refer to Liverpool City Council's (LCC) Housing Solutions."
"We would have given Sofia the numbers for Housing Solutions, Always Help Available. Also, we often tell people about using the public buildings such as the library if they are waiting for a call back as it's a safe and warm space."
"Whilst at our assessment centre, LCC rang providing the outcome of their Homeless Assessment and decision about local connection. Sofia was unhappy with the call and immediately left our premises."
"As Sofia has said, she was seen by Outreach that evening. They discussed options, including offering the Night Assessment Hub subject to reconnection the following day. Sofia refused reconnection. She advised she had an AirB&B for the night. We have not had further contact with Sofia."
