45,000 Residents at Risk of Losing Their Homes

Almost 45,000 people were on the verge of losing their home in the West Midlands last year, shock new figures have revealed. Homelessness charity Shelter said more than 840 residents a week were at risk of eviction or repossession across the region – with Sandwell the worst affected area. There, one in every 74 properties contained residents under threat of losing their homes, followed by Birmingham with one in 82, Wolverhampton with one in 93, and Coventry with one in 100. The list of hotspots was based on possession claims issued in county courts between April 1, 2014 and March 31 this year.  Read more on the Birmingham Mail website.

Move To Midlands or Be Homeless

A London mum has branded her local council “inhumane” – because she has been told to move to the Midlands. Cecilia Bruce-Annan, from Edgware, north-west London, has been told to move with her three children to Stoke-on-Trent because of the benefits cap. The 42-year-old, who says she has no idea where Stoke even is, says she has been treated viciously by Harrow Council. She has been told to leave her housing association home of three years by September 4 after racking up rent arrears of more than £2,000 after falling into debt because of the newly imposed cap. Read more on the Birmingham Mail website.