Our research has documented the state of social housing provided to tens of thousands of survivors across the UK. Testimonies have been collected from women and children who have been housed in properties that have no windows, no furniture, insect infestations, broken kitchens and defective toilets. And we have gathered evidence that some local authorities are breaking the law and not meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable groups in the country. Image: “Ayesha accommodation is infested with ants Lawyer Izzy Mulholland, of the Public Advocacy Center, told Sky News: “I’m frustrated and angry almost every day because I have to defend people who do not need defense. “And the most frustrating thing – and it seems ridiculous – is that we win. And that means that a local authority accepts that they are acting illegally. And we do not win only a few times, we win almost all the time. “And this is so frustrating because it means that if a lawyer is involved, he will offer the service he should always have. My job should not be necessary.” Only one in three victims of abuse is admitted to shelters because most are full or closed due to government cuts. If they can not enter a shelter, the victims are placed in so-called temporary accommodation by the local authority. And there are now more women in need than ever before, according to the UK’s largest abuse charity, Refuge. Last year there was a 22% increase in people supported by the National Home Abuse Helpline. All major political parties agree that something must be done. Image: Lawyer Izzy Mulholland says she is defending people who “should not need defense” We were invited to meet a mother who has been accommodated in B&B accommodation in London. The law says vulnerable people should not stay on this type of property for more than six weeks. But the family we spoke to had lived there for more than two years. “Ayesha” and her three children live their lives in a small room with no windows, no table and chairs, a broken kitchen, a broken shower and an ant infestation. He told us: “When I first arrived I thought I would get some support. I was told I would only be here for a while before we get a new home, but we are still here. They do not support me or my children We can not do anything in here . “We just lay in bed and slept. That’s it. That’s all we can do. I’ve asked the city council several times, but they tell me I’m not at high risk.” He added: “Sometimes I feel like I live on the streets because I do not have a home. It is like being homeless. I feel like I am in prison. I do not even know when it is sunny or raining outside. “I never thought life would be like this. That my children would suffer like this. I would endure all the suffering in the world, but I could not bear to see my children suffer.” Image: “Ayesha” says she feels like she is in jail Sky News does not identify the local authority responsible for this family in order to protect the family’s identity, but once we have our details, the council says it will arrange an urgent inspection of the property and help them find “suitable accommodation” “. The government has promised 125 125 million in emergency housing for victims of domestic violence this year, but charities helping survivors say that is hardly enough. Labor MP Jess Phillips has been campaigning for the issue for years, saying women and children are being housed in “dangerous and unpleasant accommodation that is not suitable for human habitation”. He told Sky News: “Women are waiting to come forward and be given reasonable services, and it is a big, huge thing to get rid of such exploitation. “And what they find is exactly what their perpetrator promised them. They find a system that does not believe them, that treats them like animals, that puts them in dangerous situations, and a huge number of them will describe it as hell to the other.” . “People often tell me and I hear it over and over again: ‘I can get over the things that happened to me, the trauma that happened to me. “I can not get over how traumatic the process was for me and my family.” Image: Labor MP Jess Phillips says people live in accommodation “unsuitable for human habitation” All major political parties agree that the situation for victims of domestic abuse needs to be improved. We asked the government for an interview with a minister about the findings of our investigation. No one was available for comment, but Eddie Hughes, Minister for Hard Sleep and Housing, said: “It is absolutely vital that victims of domestic abuse and their children across the country have access to practical and emotional support for to help them rebuild their lives. in a safe environment. “Since April 2021 we have provided εκατο 250 million to councils across the UK to ensure that safe accommodation, such as shelters, can provide victims with vital support services such as counseling and treatment, child support and access support in health care, social workers and benefits. “
