A pregnant woman in Ealing sought help from the council for housing but was turned away, despite being in a dangerous situation due to domestic abuse. The woman had been a victim of abuse and harassment from her ex-partner and was staying with a family in Ealing at the time.
The council refused to exempt her from meeting residency criteria to be added to the housing register. Even after the woman appealed the decision, the council stood by its initial ruling. The case was then taken to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for investigation.
The Ombudsman discovered that the council had a limited and outdated understanding of domestic abuse, only considering physical violence. This goes against the legal definition of domestic abuse, which includes non-physical forms such as psychological abuse and controlling behaviour, introduced in 2021.
Amerdeep Somal, the Ombudsman, highlighted the lack of knowledge within the council’s housing department regarding domestic abuse. The council failed to assess if they had a duty to provide housing or offer temporary accommodation to the pregnant woman, leaving her to sofa-surf with family members.
The woman faced the distress of not knowing where she and her baby would live after giving birth. The Ombudsman hopes that the changes the council has agreed to implement will prevent similar situations in the future and ensure that vulnerable individuals who have experienced domestic abuse are not overlooked.
As part of the resolution, Ealing Council will review the woman’s homelessness status and her housing register application. Additionally, they will compensate her with £1,000 to acknowledge the significant distress she endured throughout this ordeal.
