The Housing Crisis this Christmas: 300,000 People Need a Home (Asian Voice) (17 December 2018)

Manjinder Kaur Atwal has written for Asian Voice on how the housing crisis is affecting the most vulnerable this Christmas, with more than 300,000 people said to be officially homeless after Shelter revealed statistics their report entitled ‘Homeless in Great Britain: The Numbers Behind the Story’. She writes that there is a common misconception that only those that have been forced to sleep on the streets are considered homeless. Under the homelessness test you are classed as homeless if you rely on friends/ family for temporary accommodation, live out of a hostel or night-shelter or live somewhere that is so overcrowded or unhygienic that it might be damaging to your health. Manjinder Kaur Atwal, a director/solicitor of housing based, alongside Amrita Bharj and other team members, works closely with Citizen Advice in Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield, Milton Keynes, Hillingdon, Hayes, St Mungos and Harlow Law Clinic to help those seeking advice on a range of housing matters, including eviction notices, challenging local authority decisions and homelessness. She writes: ‘We at Duncan Lewis are aligned with a number of Citizens’ Advice centres across England and Wales, offering pro bono assistance to those requiring housing advice. Anyone who is seeking social housing can attend for free and speak to one of our specialist legal practitioners who regularly act on behalf of those dealing with homelessness. There can be times when local authorities have offered unsuitable accommodation for yourself, or a loved one. In this case, you are entitled to challenge the offer. We are able to assist with these matters and always act in our client’s best interests. ‘