Worthing woman's eviction fear

Samantha Chambers, who is four months pregnant, moved from her 75-a-week accommodation to a larger room within a shared house when she became pregnant.

She applied for an extra 10 a week in housing benefit to cover the costs of the new room but was turned down.

Her benefits were then reduced from 75 to 71.58, leaving her more than 50 short of her monthly rent.

Samantha, 22, of Teville Road, Worthing, said: "My old room was too small for a baby and it was the cheapest I could find. I have no idea what I'm going to do."

Housing request

Samantha originally approached the council in September last year to put her name on the housing register but says her forms were lost by the office.

She says staff at the council's housing benefit office failed to remember her claim, despite submitting her application "three or four times".

She said: "They told me there was nothing they could do for me and that I would have to find private accommodation."

Miss Chambers now owes two months of rent payments and is searching for new accommodation.

Nowhere to go

She said: "My landlord has been really understanding but he obviously needs to be paid.

"I don't know what to do, because I can't find anything cheaper.

"I can't move in with my parents because they live in a carvan."

Samantha, who also receives 50 job seeker's allowance each week, is left with around 35 each week to pay her bills and live on.

Council spokesperson Cathy Ridge said: "When Miss Chambers originally applied for housing benefit, the local allowance for someone of her age and situation was 75.

"Since then, however, rents on private property in Worthing have reduced, and as the allowance is governed by the rental market force, this has, unfortunately, led to her entitlement being reduced when she re-applied for housing benefit following a change in accommodation."

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