A BRIDGWATER mum is worried her family will be made homeless as she ‘battles against a failing system’.

Mum-of-two Anita Will has lived in a home called Southlea, off Rhode Lane, with her 15-year-old son,13-year-old daughter and her disabled brother Darren Brett for the past seven years.

However, having rented the home privately, the landlord has now handed the family notice to leave as planning permission has been granted to demolish the existing home and create four new properties on the site.

“I will be sad to leave but I understand that is the risk of renting – the problem has been finding a new home,” Ms Will said.

“We have been looking for a four-bedroom home since December. We would like to stay in Bridgwater ideally, particularly as my son is doing his GCSEs at the moment but I have applied whenever properties become available, whether there are in Wells or Frome. But so far to no avail.”

Anita, who works full-time in a care home, said Sedgemoor District Council has suggested placing them in temporary accommodation at Wade House, Highbridge, but an abusive ex-partner had spent time there.

“It has bad memories for the children and I do not want to put them through that,” Anita said.

Anita’s family has now been listed as ‘gold’ high priority on the waiting list by Sedgemoor District Council, but she is worried nothing will come up before the family is left homeless.

Anita said: “I have worked my whole life to support my family and am proud to have done so, but I will soon be forced to give up work putting me on benefits for the first time in my life and affecting all of the family’s mental health.

“Our situation is symptomatic of a broken system, I feel like I would be better off not working.”

Sedgemoor District Council said there are far more people looking for council accommodation than properties available, with Homefinder Somerset currently dealing with 1,700 live applications. 

“As the lady concerned is in the Gold Band, then she has the highest priority we can give,” a Sedgemoor District Council spokesman said.

“Homefinder Somerset is a partnership of local authorities and housing associations working together to make the process of finding a home simple and transparent for all applicants and is Somerset wide.”

All available properties are listed on a Wednesday, which people can bid or apply for before the Sunday deadline. 

The bids on each property are then graded by bands and if there is more than one ‘gold’ band applicant, then whoever has been in the ‘gold’ band longest gets priority.

Sedgemoor District Council also said that its only temporary homelessness accommodation is Wade House and that is offers financial help in the the private rented sector and help people apply for Universal Credit and its implications.