Published: Wednesday, 16th January, 2008 12:30
Homeless and abandoned
By Jamie MacDonald
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Time runs out for Francis
Down and out: Francis McNally was forced to seek shelter in a doorway round the side of Alloa Town Hall.
Pic by: David Robertson
A HOMELESS man suffering from chest pains has been forced to shelter from the severe storms and freezing temperatures in a doorway round the side of Alloa Town Hall.
Francis McNally (59) had been staying in Tarragon House homeless unit in Alloa’s Mar Place – but ended up on the street after being told he was no longer entitled to accommodation.
Other worried homeless people contacted the Advertiser after finding Francis slumped in a doorway.
They feared for his health as he tried to shelter from the gale force winds and driving rain that battered the county last week.
As the weather worsened, so did Francis’ health. He had little to keep him warm as he tried to sleep, using a concrete step for a bed and his few possessions as a pillow.
Francis spoke to the Advertiser about his plight shortly after receiving a welcome bowl of soup, delivered from the soup kitchen for the homeless at Alloa North Parish Church.
He said, “It’s freezing at night. I know I could die out here in this weather.
“I’ve got chest pains and this morning I couldn’t stand up.
“The woman in the soup kitchen ended up bringing the soup to me as I just couldn’t walk there. I wasn’t drunk, I just couldn’t walk.”
While he was talking to the Advertiser, several people staying at Tarragon stopped by to check on his condition.
Francis explained that, initially, he had been placed in Tarragon House and was told he had 28 days to find a private let. But he ran out of time and ended up out on the streets.
He said, “I’m caught in a poverty loop – if I had money I could get a flat but at my age where can I get money? I’ve got nothing.”
Due to the deterioration in Francis’ health, Stirling Council – who dealt with his application – agreed to provide accommodation for a further two weeks.
Local authorities do not have to provide accommodation for non-priority homeless – just those judged to be priority receive a roof over their head.
Priority homeless include people who are seen as being vulnerable, pregnant, looking after a child or at risk of abuse.
Each council assesses an applicant – an applicant can only apply to one authority at a time – and if the application process takes longer than a day the council usually puts the applicant up for the period of the assessment plus 28 days.
Along with other non-priority homeless cases in the county, Francis is in the situation where he is not entitled to receive a bed or shelter from any council.
In the period spent in local authority accommodation the responsibility is on the person to try and secure their own private accommodation.
Francis’ plight has further highlighted the shocking problem of homelessness which is affecting Clackmannanshire – and the rest of the country.
Duncan Dennet, manager at the Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau, said, “A problem for people if they are unemployed and homeless is that they can’t afford to take a job because they would then have to pay for their accommodation.”
He explained that the cost of staying in homeless accommodation varied depending on the landlord, but it was not unusual for the price to be similar to that of an up-market hotel.
Mr Dennet added, “The vast majority of homeless people have to contribute from their benefits to their accommodation. If they have dependency issues, which often means they don’t pay, they are turfed out.
“A local authority has a duty to help but not necessarily to house homeless people.”
For those non-priority homeless people who can’t rely on family or friends to put them up, the catch 22 situation of having to pay for expensive accommodation if they take on a job can make it extremely difficult to afford somewhere to stay.
According to Clackmannanshire Council at present there are 177 priority homeless cases and 46 non-priority cases awaiting accommodation in the county.
There are also 118 households presently in temporary accommodation.
The situation should improve in future years as the Scottish Government has pledged to abolish the priority categorisation of homelessness by 2012 when everyone will have a right to a home.
Archie Stoddart, director of Shelter Scotland, said, “For decades now, your priority for a house has been based on whether you fall into particular categories but come 2012, this will no longer be the case.
“Abolishing the priority needs test will mean everyone will have the right to a home if they are unintentionally homeless.”
Mr Stoddart added, “With thousands of people already in temporary accommodation, or on waiting lists, it’s clear we need more homes.
“For example, over 1600 people in Clackmannanshire are on the main house waiting list.
“We all need a good, safe, secure and affordable roof over our heads. It should be a right not a dream.”
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