Homelessness Project: Crisis Case Study

Sanjay, ex B&B Resident, age 30

"I've spent five years in B&Bs and they are awful places. They are a false hope because so much of the time you end up were you began - back on the streets. From the three B&Bs that I've been in, two people have committed suicide."

Sanjay has been homeless for the past 6 years. Although he has had a roof over his head for the last five of those years he has had to battle increasingly acute depression and isolation. Throughout this time he has been moved from one form of temporary accommodation to another and has struggled to access the services and support that he needs.

Sanjay's homelessness started with the death of someone close to him - leaving him deeply upset and unable to cope. He lost his job and his home. Initially, he turned to his sister for help but his mental state became so bad that she could no longer support him and he found himself sleeping rough.

He slept out on the streets or in subways for 9 months before being contacted by an outreach team. They left him with a contact for a GP and as his health deteriorated over the following three months he decided it was time to try to get help. The GP immediately referred him to a hostel and after a further difficult 6 months he was moved to a B&B.

"I was just stuck there in a small room all day. There was nothing to do. No TV, no friends, nothing. There was a communal kitchen, bathroom and toilet but it was difficult to get on with the people there. I felt really uncomfortable. So bad that I didn't even go down to breakfast."

Sanjay's feeling of vulnerability was well founded. He became the victim of a number of break-ins where some of the few possessions he'd brought from storage at his sister's house were stolen. "After eight months my GP contacted the community mental health team. They then allocated a psychiatrist and I was diagnosed with severe depression."

With a referral from his GP and psychiatrist Sanjay requested a move from the council. It took three months before somewhere was found for him. Even then, the situation seemed to get worse rather than better.

"I was moved to another B&B around the corner. My room was on the fifth floor. There were no lifts and I had a tiny room - even smaller than the previous one and at the time I had claustrophobia. The ceiling was constantly damp. One time I left some Indian sweets on a plate and soon it was swarming with ants." The physical problems along with overcrowding added to the increasing pressure on Sanjay. "There was no privacy there and the manager was always hassling me. It was so noisy. You could always hear the sound children crying somewhere."

Just two months after arriving Sanjay was placed on anti-depressants and sleeping tablets: "I hadn't slept for four nights. I felt so trapped there. There was no key - you had to ring a buzzer whenever you wanted to get in. It was worse because you're so severely isolated in a B&B. All my friends were miles away and I couldn't afford to visit."

At least Sanjay was now getting some support. "I was assigned two support workers from Mind who were very kind to me. They used to come and visit for a cup of coffee, to help support me or just for a chat. They suggested a day centre, which really helped. It gave me something to do and somewhere to go."

"Finally I was offered an independent flat but I was told that the support workers, the psychiatrist, access to the day centre would all be discharged. If I refused to take the flat I would be considered to be deliberately homeless and I'd be back on the streets - so I took it."

"The flat itself was great - what anybody would want but I just couldn't cope. Little do you realise until you're in that situation how trapped and claustrophobic you feel. I was told that the council couldn't help me access any of the services I'd previously had - I'd have to go back to my GP and start the whole process again."

I just couldn't cope there. But the council told me 'If you decide to leave the property we won't house you and neither will any other council'. I felt really threatened.

Soon after that I was so lonely that I went back to the day centre and claimed to be sleeping rough again. I really needed the company. After four months the workers there had applied for emergency accommodation on my behalf. When they realised I had a house they called me into the office. They knew me quite well and were quite reasonable, although it could have created real problems. They knew the situation I was describing to them. They encouraged me to go back to the flat but to contact the council and explain the problems I was having. The council said I had to get another reference from my GP and psychiatrist.

From there it was back into the B&B system where things went from bad to worse:

"Breakfast was a loaf of bread and a pint of milk for you to take to your room each week - there wasn't a kitchen that we could use. The rooms were really unhygienic with old mattresses - the smell was awful. There were eight families on one floor and we all shared a bathroom and a toilet. Whilst I was there the strength of my medication was increased again.

"Eventually, after I'd been there for about a year and a half, someone on some kind or hard drug - I don't know what - started kicking my door in. When the manager came up this guy threatened him so because it was outside my room the manager reported me to the council.

"This time breakfast was a small box of cornflakes; you didn't even get any milk. There was a reception for two hours in the morning but it was closed for the rest of the time. They told us 'if the fire alarm goes off, the key is here - just turn it off'.

"There were no security cameras and anyone could break into the rooms just by putting their shoulder against the door. I was in here for a year until I was offered independent accommodation."

Finally, Sanjay was offered another flat of his own, this time in a supported housing project. He moved in November 2001 and feels hopeful about the future. But again, he risks losing the support services that he still needs so much.

"The flat's unfurnished but I've been given a community care grant to help decorate and I really want to make a go of it. It's difficult though. All of my services have now stopped as I've been ruled to be fully recovered. There's also a problem with my housing benefit - although I moved in November I didn't receive the forms until January. The council said I should have informed them and there's an investigation going on at the moment. It may be that I have to pay for those two months out of my own pocket and I don't know how I can do that.

"Yet I look back on my time in B&Bs and I just can't believe I even got to this point. The longer you are in B&B's the more vulnerable you become and the more likely you are to need psychiatric health services. And all the time it was costing so much. For a single room it was between £135 and £189 per week from housing benefit- in the places that I've stayed. But on top of that you have to pay a £10.50 service charge from your own money. This is supposed to cover TV licenses, cleaning etc but most places don't even have a TV and I've always had to clean my own room."

Interview conducted March 2002.

Jeff

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