Note left for son blaming Government

A woman from Solihull has taken her own life, leaving a note for her son in which she blamed the Government for her death.

Stephanie Bottrill from Solihull in the West Midlands died in the early hours of May 4 after she was hit by a lorry on the M6.

Her neighbours say she was struggling to afford to live and was concerned about the prospect of leaving her council house for a smaller property.

Cllr David Jamieson, Solihull Labour group leader, told ITV News Central that the council had offered Ms Bottrill a bungalow, but that it was six miles away from her current home on Meriden Drive - an hour's bus journey.

Neighbours and family came to Cllr Jamieson with their concerns after Ms Bottrill's death. He says neighbours told him they had visited her after noticing her lights were turned off, to find her sitting in the dark wrapped in a blanket to keep warm.

The Government's spare room subsidy, which came into effect last month, calculates the amount of Housing Benefit received on the needs of the household. Every adult or couple is entitled to one bedroom, with deductions for each "spare room".

Ms Bottrill lived in a three bedroom home.