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“I now feel safe. I can now look forward to the future”

At 19, Kiera found herself homeless after her family discovered she was pregnant and identified as bisexual. Coming from a community with traditional views on marriage and sexuality, Kiera’s situation became untenable at home. 

“I had no idea where I was going to go I was scared. I didn’t know whether I was going to have a home for my baby. I didn’t know if my pregnancy was going to continue to be ok because of the stress and worry. I was constantly anxious. I didn’t know each day what I was doing. I didn’t know each day where I was going to sleep at night. The fear of not knowing was absolutely crushing” 

Homeless and scared Kiera was receiving daily death threats by telephone and on social media. Kiera thought she recognised some of the voices but others were unknown. The threat to her safety naturally made Kiera’s underlying difficulties with anxiety much worse.   

“The death threats were absolutely horrific. It was so horrible to have to experience that ,especially from my own family. The constant worry…having to change my phone number. I had to take myself off social media. Having to do all those things… It added to everything and again it was absolutely horrific.” 

Kiera travelled across London to make a homeless application. Despite her vulnerable situation, the council did not provide her with safe accommodation or protection. Instead, Kiera was left to fend for herself. The council failed to recognise the risks she faced and made her feel unheard and unsupported: 

“The only place I knew was safe I went to [London Council] and they basically turned me away, no one deserves to be treated like that”.  

She resorted to calling social services each night for assistance. They placed her in a mixed hostel, which proved unsuitable and triggered daily panic attacks. One night, feeling extremely frightened, Kiera ended up sleeping on a park bench. 

“It was very hard for me because I was worried because I knew that me having panic attacks was affecting my baby. It was absolutely horrible” 

“I thought it was absolutely disgusting that they would make a 19 year old pregnant woman call out of hours every night. Leaving me with no safe place to stay. Even the places I was getting didn’t feel safe, I was all alone, I was very vulnerable. I felt very upset. I felt like I had nothing and no one. I thought the council were there to help but they kept palming me off. I felt it was really unfair” 

Despite repeatedly seeking help from the council’s homeless persons unit, Kiera was turned away. This left her with the impossible choice of returning to a dangerous home or sleeping on the street. The looming threat of homelessness added the many pressures she was already facing. 

“I don’t believe they believed anything I said. They actually told me they didn’t believe me. They put so much pressure on me to go back. They pressured me to name the perpetrators, [even though I didn’t know them]. Each day they were giving me any excuse to avoid helping me.” 

Informed by social services that they would no longer assist her, Kiera turned to the Law Centre. Upon hearing her story, our housing solicitors, Jeinsen and Florence, threatened legal action. They notified the council that unless they immediately provided temporary accommodation and accepted her homeless application, they would take the council to court. 

At the last moment before initiating court action, the council agreed to provide temporary accommodation and accepted Kiera’s homeless application. Over the following months, the Law Centre continued to successfully help Kiera transition from successive units of temporary accommodation, which were unsuitable due to the risk of domestic abuse and the inappropriate use of shared accommodation. 

Kiera was eventually offered final accommodation in a safe borough where she now lives with her newborn [daughter]. Kiera’s complaint to the ombudsman was also successful forcing the council to apologise and pay Kiera £1,000 in compensation. Kiera had this to say about legal aid and the help she had received from the Law Centre:  

“The Law Centre was more than helpful. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the law centre , you’ve been absolutely fantastic”. 

“I felt extremely relieved, I knew what was happening was wrong on a personal level. I didn’t know that it was unlawful. I felt it was very unfair but I didn’t know it was legally wrong. When I told the council that I was going to get a solicitor they laughed at me on the phone”. 

“I do now I feel I have got justice, Although it shouldn’t have been like that in the first place” 

“Everything was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t fault anything that the law centre has ever done. They have been absolutely amazing and supported me so well”.  

“I now feel safe. I can now look forward to the future” 

*Name has been changed 

… 

If you’re experiencing difficulties similar to Kiera, we encourage you to get advice here. We’re here to help. 

Otherwise, if you would like to help our organisation continue to provide vital support to clients like Kiera, please consider donating or volunteering with us.