'Evicted for being honest': Ex-soldier who declared temporary work loses his benefits and is forced to live in car with his pregnant girlfriend
- Ex- Army soldier Darren King living in his Vauxhall Astra with pregnant girlfriend
- He was evicted after declaring temporary work to authorities
Last updated at 1:37 PM on 27th February 2012
An ex-serviceman and his pregnant girlfriend are living in his car after being evicted from their home when he had his benefits cut.
Darren King, 27, lost his privately rented home in Colchester, Essex when he told the authorities he had taken a temporary job.
The former Territorial Army soldier quit the Forces when his first wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but after finding new work Mr King had his benefits cut.
Mr King signed up for work with one month's employment with an engineering agency while receiving benefits.
Kicked out: Mr King, pictured with his daughter Lilly-Louise, fell behind on his rent after declaring a temporary job and has now been left living in his car
But after declaring his work he had his housing benefits removed and has been left living in the back of his Vauxhall Astra because he cannot pay rent.
When he fell two months behind on rental payments the bailiffs were called in and he was made homeless along with his pregnant girlfriend, who is due to give birth in two months.
Mr King's plight emerged as David Cameron said ministers should do more to ensure service personnel and their families get council houses or mortgages when they leave the forces.
The Remembrance weekend initiative aims to end the scandal of veterans being left too poor to buy a home and unable to get on a social housing list.
Mr King claims his housing benefit, which he had used to cover his rent, was taken from him without his knowledge.
The ex-Army member is now living in a Vauxhall Astra in a lay-by just outside Tiptree, Essex, and says he has been told he may have to wait eight weeks before he can be found emergency housing.
Mr King had received £640 for one month's work and also received housing benefit and child tax handouts for his daughter Lilly-Louise King.
Most of the family's belongings are in storage, which is paid for out of child tax credits.
His seven-year-old daughter is living with the couple's former neighbours.
Mr King could be living in his car with his pregnant girlfriend (who did not want to be identified) for up to eight weeks before he finds emergency housing
Despite ending the one-month stint with the engineering agency and proving he no longer worked, he still had his benefits removed and the bailiffs were called to remove him and his pregnant girlfriend from their rented home last week.
Mr King served in the Territorial Army for five years until 2008 when his first wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
He left the Forces to be with her received housing and child benefits.
He was received bereavement handouts when his wife passed away in March 2009.
Mr King said: 'I wonder why I bothered signing up to protect my country if this is the way I am treated. It is ridiculous.'
He met his now partner and spent a month with an engineering agency.
Mr King added: 'I would have been better off not working.
'The Government wants people to stop claiming and start working. I did and it cost me my home. I did everything right and I don’t understand it.'
Soldiers will go to the top of the queue for a council house or mortgage when they leave the Army under new government plans.
Housing minister Grant Shapps will issue new guidance to local authorities to put retiring servicemen automatically into the highest priority category for a council house after the homeless.
He will call on them to ‘positively discriminate’ in favour of former soldiers, sailors and airmen where tough decisions have to be taken.
'The Government wants people to stop claiming and start working. I did and it cost me my home.'
Anyone leaving the forces will also go to the top of the list for help through the Government’s FirstBuy scheme, which helps the less well-off buy a house with small deposits.
A spokesperson for Colchester Council said the authority would not comment on individual cases.
The spokesperson said: 'In general, when someone is found intentionally homeless they have the right to appeal the decision.
'An appeal is sent to an external service and is reviewed; they have 56 days to make this decision.
'If an intentional homeless decision is made, the council has an interim duty to provide temporary accommodation if persons in question are street homeless for a reasonable time after the decision and have not had the opportunity to look for alternative accommodation.
'People who find themselves in this situation are advised they should seek help from social services.
'They are also given other housing advice about privately renting and applying to the housing register.
'All circumstances are taken into account at the time of the decision.
'Should an appeal decision overturn the council’s initial intentional decision we will provide these persons with emergency accommodation.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2107126/Ex-soldier-family-living-car-evicted.html#ixzz1naimIJIq
Totally disgusted with this story. Ex-Forces too! So that's the thanks he gets for fighting for our country? Shameful.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I hate the army. And war, while at it. Capable people are treated like cannon fodder, not like living beings. You fight for, die for the government and you get nothing. Maybe a medal after you lose a leg or two. I still do not see how people can voluntarily apply to the armed forces, taken into consideration, that the wars nowadays are all because of private interests, not for freedom.
ReplyDeleteWith compliments from hotels in Shrewsbury.
As an ex soldier/Airman I know that when you leave the forces, its bloody hard work to get anything, but an immigrant gets it forced on them.
ReplyDelete