A FAMILY of seven who are having to share a two bedroom home say their housing plight has reached crisis point.

Mum-of-four Angela Worthy, 32, who sleeps in a single bed with her two youngest children, said she had been waiting for a home for three years, but has reached her wits end.

She moved in with her mum, Marcella, and stepdad, Dave, after being forced to flee London while pregnant when someone set fire to her home with her and the children inside.

She said Castle Point Council officials told her she must bid for a four-bedroom home on the housing register, but none was available and there were no private homes in the borough within the benefit budget of £1,000.

Ms Worthy said: “We were categorised as a hazard by Environmental Health back in in June or July, due to overcrowding.

“It is horrible. I love my mum, but I feel like I am failing my children. I’m just so down in the dumps.

“I knew it would take a little while, but I didn’t have a choice.

I honestly didn’t think I would be here three years down the line.

“I just feel like I am being mugged off by Castle Point Council.”

The family have converted a small room into a bedroom for Ms Worthy and two children, but it cannot fit a cot, and another for her 15-year-old daughter Shannon.

Under housing rules, brothers and sisters are only allowed to share the same room until they are 10 and so Ms Worthy has to bid on four-bedroom homes as Shannon and Billy, 14, have to have separate rooms.

Her youngest, Tiffany, three, and Madison, two, are allowed to share.

She had to be living in Canvey for six months before she was given a number to start bidding.

Ms Worthy has also been bidding on three-bedroom homes but said last week she was told she would only be allowed a four -bedroom home because of Government rules.

GrandmaMarcella Brady said: “It is destroying the family, it is destroying our relationship as mother and daughter, which has always been extremely strong, and it is destroying my relationship with my grandchildren as I am old school and they are young and have got different views.

“It is against Angela’s human rights to be forced to live like she this.

“I know people who have moved from Dagenham and have already got houses.”

Mrs Brady, 56, who works as a childminder, said the situation was also making her health worse as she has numerous conditions, including blocked arteries and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is not helped by stress.

CASTLE Point Council said it will
review the family’s case.
A council spokesman said:
“Angela Worthy is on our
housing waiting list and is a
band A applicant needing a fourbedroom
home. The council has
approximately ten four-bed
properties in its stock, so the
waiting time may be
considerable. Miss Worthy’s
case is under review to see if
she can bid on three, as well as
four-bed properties.
“This is being done in line with
the council’s allocation
procedure.
“We will let Miss Worthy know
as soon as the review is
complete.”