Protesters gathered outside Southwark Council’s offices in Bermondsey this week to demand action for Michelle, a 50-year-old disabled mother who has spent 24 years trapped in a second-floor council flat she struggles to leave. Michelle, who suffers from arthritis, chronic back pain, and lupus, relies on crutches and a wheelchair but cannot navigate the 30 steps separating her home from the street.
Organized by ACORN Southwark, a community union advocating for housing justice, the demonstration aimed to pressure the council to fulfill its promise of relocating Michelle to an accessible ground-floor property. Michelle was unable to attend the protest due to her health issues but expressed her frustration with the council’s handling of her case.
Years of Waiting and Unfulfilled Promises
Michelle has spent years urging Southwark Council to provide her with suitable housing. In December 2023, she believed progress had been made when the council’s then-Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Darren Merrill, committed to giving her a direct offer of a suitable property, even promising to install a bath if necessary to accommodate her health conditions.
However, since the council’s housing department was restructured in August 2024, Michelle claims she has not received any offers. The council has warned her that rejecting homes it deems suitable could result in her being placed back on the general waiting list, which includes 18,000 other applicants. Michelle fears this would leave her with little chance of securing an accessible home.
“The council has thrown the onus back on me,” Michelle told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). “They keep talking about my ‘needs’ instead of my ‘wants,’ but the properties they’re offering aren’t suitable for my disabilities.”
Protesters Demand Action
ACORN Southwark members rallied outside Southwark Council’s Tooley Street offices on Tuesday evening (January 21), calling for immediate action. Michael, a member of ACORN Southwark, said, “Michelle has been waiting for years to be moved to safe, suitable housing. Last year, the council made a commitment to her, but the new officers have gone back on that promise. We’re demanding that they honor their word.”
A spokesperson for ACORN Southwark vowed to continue advocating for Michelle, stating, “We will not stop fighting until Michelle is housed in a safe and suitable home.”
Council’s Response and Next Steps
Southwark Council has described Michelle’s case as “complex” and acknowledged her frustration. In a previous statement, a council spokesperson said its housing teams were working to ensure any property offered would meet Michelle’s needs. However, the council did not respond to recent requests for comment.
Michelle remains concerned that being returned to the general housing list will leave her stuck in unsuitable living conditions indefinitely. “It’s very frustrating and stressful,” she said. “If I return to the waiting list, I won’t get a property. They don’t include measurements, so I might think a property is good, only to find it’s not accessible. The council will use that against me.”
As the protest highlights Michelle’s plight, campaigners continue to push for accountability and action, calling on the Labour-run council to deliver on its promises.
