Memorandum-to-the-Prime-Minister-on-Unaffordable-Housing

Mr ‘Watson’
In 2002 <strong>the</strong> Local Government Ombudsman reported <strong>the</strong> case of Mr ‘Watson’ (not his real name), a single,
semi-literate adult lived alone in Southwark. Jobcentreplus had mistakenly <strong>to</strong>ld Southwark Council that <strong>the</strong>y
had cancelled his Job Seekers Allowance (JSA).That s<strong>to</strong>pped housing and council tax benefits, creating a debit in
his accounts and triggering <strong>the</strong> blind, computer driven enforcement.Threats of eviction for rent arrears were
not far off.
JSA was £53.05 a week after rent and council tax. (Increased <strong>to</strong> £54.65 in April 2003; £55.65 in 2004 and
£56.20 in 2005).The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and <strong>the</strong> Family Budget Unit have shown
that a national minimum income for healthy living for a single adult needs <strong>to</strong> be £91 a week, but £125 in
London and £131 if buying locally ra<strong>the</strong>r than in a super market.
On 12th January 2001 CSL, Southwark’s out sourced agent collecting council tax, sent Mr.Watson a summons
for unpaid council tax of £235.10 plus costs, for a hearing on 9th February 2001.The summons contains <strong>the</strong>
following threats, in bold type and highlighted.Thousands are dispatched daily:
‘If a liability order is granted <strong>the</strong> council will be able <strong>to</strong> take one or more of <strong>the</strong>
following actions: Instruct bailiffs <strong>to</strong> take your goods <strong>to</strong> settle your debt - this can
include your car.You will be liable <strong>to</strong> pay <strong>the</strong> bailiff ’s costs, which could
substantially increase <strong>the</strong> debt. Instruct your employer <strong>to</strong> deduct payments from
your salary or wages. Deduct money straight from your jobseekers allowance or
income support. Make you bankrupt. Make a charging order against your home.
Have you committed <strong>to</strong> prison’.
His sister-in-law called on him. His body was hanging in his flat.The police found <strong>the</strong> summons with him, paper
littered with rough calculations and a note:
‘Dear ... I at <strong>to</strong> do this I am in so much in Detr good By for ever Love......’
Millions of threats of eviction for rent or prison for council tax arrears are generated by computer and
dispatched daily by officials of local authorities, and housing associations, and solici<strong>to</strong>rs for private landlords <strong>to</strong>
vulnerable households.
After <strong>the</strong> issue had been raised with <strong>the</strong> Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in a Parliamentary Question
he sent <strong>the</strong> case <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> head of Jobcentreplus who administered <strong>the</strong> benefit of £53.05, and who wrote me an
apologetic letter. I replied it was not his fault.
A universal pattern
The universal pattern of <strong>the</strong> crucifixion is <strong>to</strong> be found in Mr Watson’s case. It happens inadvertently. Journalists,
politicians, <strong>the</strong> city and local government officials do not set out <strong>to</strong> crush hope out of <strong>the</strong> lives of <strong>the</strong> poor in
<strong>the</strong> UK.They are simply getting on with <strong>the</strong>ir job maintaining <strong>the</strong> structures of society, as were <strong>the</strong> officials in
<strong>the</strong> arrest, trial, <strong>to</strong>rture and crucifixion of Jesus.They are blind <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> painful consequences of <strong>the</strong>ir actions or
inactions. In <strong>the</strong> parable of <strong>the</strong> sheep and <strong>the</strong> goats (Mat<strong>the</strong>w 25) this blindness is found in <strong>the</strong> question:
Zacchaeus 2000 Trust - <strong>Memorandum</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Prime</strong> <strong>Minister</strong> - May 2005 105