Northern Ireland mum in temporary accommodation 'at breaking point' waiting for permanent home

A young mum living in temporary accommodation has told UTV she is at breaking point and fears budget cuts could harm her chances of getting a permanent home.

Megan McCotter, 21, has been homeless for around 2 years along with her one year old twins.

She said: “Right now I am at breaking point, the summer has come in and we are stuck in here.

“I know we are close, then I hear of houses being given out and I realise I’m not there yet.”

“I’ve been thinking I am getting a house for about a year.”

Megan's flat is in a shared accommodation block.

It’s designed for short stays, but she has been here longer than she had hoped for.

Communal washing machines are shared with 18 flats, with washing having to be carried up and down from the basement.

The accommodation is far from ideal.

Megan said: “I haven’t got pictures up on the walls, they aren’t painted I can’t paint them.

“It would change my mental health to get a house.

“My girls deserve better than being stuck in here on warm sunny days.

“They should be out playing out their back.”

Homeless charities fear a shortfall of social housing will be compounded by a reduction in new builds.

There is a target of two thousand new social homes to be built in Northern Ireland each year.

However, with a £59 ]million shortfall in the capital budget within the Department of Communities, that target is unlikely to be met.

Justin Cartwright, Chartered Institute of Housing, says “these proposed cuts means we will probably build around 1,400 so significantly less than what is needed.”

“I think the political failure is impacting on people and fundamentally on our children.”

“We have over 4,000 children in temporary accommodation and this is taking away a future for them.“

Many of those who end up in social housing have experiences homelessness at some stage in their lives.

Before they get their “forever home” they’ve had to rely on services like those offered by charity de Paul.

The sector is facing a £7.5m funding gap and the charities fear that will have a long term impact.

David Carol, CEO de Paul, added: “We feel there would be an increase in rough sleeping and there would be an increase in demand on our homelessness services.

“In some cases, possible loss of life, because we are working with people on the edge who need the greatest amount of help.

“We have considerable fears about what these cuts may bring.”

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