A homeless woman claims she is being forced to sleep on a sofa, while her son sleeps in his pram, due to unsuitable housing offers from the council. Rebecca Hopkins, from Bridgend, and her one-year-old son registered as homeless three weeks ago after she and her ex-partner split.
Since then the 22-year-old has had to stay on her mum's sofa while her son sleeps next to her in his pram in the living room. "I'm staying with my mum in a two-bedroom house. My sister lives here, my mum lives here, and the bedrooms are rather small," Rebecca said.
Rebecca claims she initially had been told she was a priority case but has since been downgraded. "I spoke to the council and they told me I was a priority last week and they've since told me I'm not a priority anymore," she said. "I just broke down crying and I just said to my mum: 'No-one wants to help me'."
The only option offered to Rebecca at this time was a bed and breakfast which she explained is unsuitable to raise a child. "[It had] no cooking facilities or any other facilities where I'd be able to cook for my son. It was really upsetting when they offered me that to be honest." However, after Rebecca contacted WalesOnline, Bridgend Council said she had not been downgraded in priority and Rebecca received a call to offer housing in North Cornelly, Bridgend.
"They offered me temporary accommodation but it's right out of my support network. It's not accessible for me to be somewhere where I haven't got a network. It's two bus rides away."
Rebecca is keen to leave her mother's sofa as one of her main concerns is for her son's development which she says will be affected by the constant sleeping in his pram. But she said she still needs to be nearby for support and Rebecca's mother has asked that accommodation is found closer to the family.
Additionally both Rebecca and her mother have mental health struggles, which are only being exacerbated by the situation. "I suffer with post-natal-depression," Rebecca said, "It's having a really big impact on me being back here."
Rebecca has called repeatedly to get an update on when she will be offered suitable accommodation however she is yet to be given a timeframe of when she will be suitably housed. "I've got all my furniture and everything – all I need to do is just move into a home," she said.
Bridgend council was contacted for comment.
