DPAC are supporting two brothers who face eviction – and we need your help

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Mar 312022

Sean Brogan contacted DPAC to ask for assistance for his brother and himself

Sean’s brother Andrew is autistic and needs the stability and consistency of living in the home he as been in his whole life. He would find a move away devastating, on top of the loss of both parents.

In Sean’s own words:

At the beginning of the pandemic, we lost our father to covid, 9 days in to the first lockdown but also at the same time our mother was admitted with the same thing. Luckily she came home after nearly succumbing to the illness, Unfortunately she suffered quite badly from long covid as a result of this.

On the 14^th of November last year, our mother suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. As she was a joint tenant with our father Anthony Brogan, West Lancashire Borough Council have stated that through their laws of succession, that myself and my brother will not be allowed to take on the tenancy and was therefore served a notice to quit merely a week after our mothers passing.

We have had health professionals, Doctors, Occupational Health and Social Workers all do reports as to why it is imperative that Andrew stays in the only home he has ever known as he has lived here for 32 years (since he was born).

Due to Andrews’ condition he needs routine and stability. As a part of his routine, he walks his dog around the immediate area where we live. These routes are what he has developed over the years and feels safe, comfortable and confident doing this independantly. There are other aspects of his life he has difficultly with such as spacial awareness, cooking, personal hygiene, cleaning and guidance when using appliances which he has carers to assist him with in this regard. I am registered as his primary unpaid carer and look after him out of standard carer hours.

We have escalated our complaint with the council further for them to only say the same as the last person that looked at the case. As you can imagine this is causing massive amounts of stress and anxiety to Andrew and myself.

I think at this stage Rosie Cooper is one of the few people who could help with this situation in addition to yourselves. [Rosie Cooper is their MP who they have approached previously and she has said she couldn’t help]

We are desperately in need of help with this and hope that you can offer support and assistance with this

DPAC are doing all we can to help Sean and Andrew, we would like you to help by signing and sharing this petition https://www.change.org/p/west-lancashire-borough-council-keep-the-family-home, and we will be asking for further help later as the campaign proceeds.

We have written to their MP, Rosie Cooper, asking her to reconsider her decision not to help (see below)

Dear Rosie

We are contacting you on behalf of two of your constituents, Sean and Andrew Brogan, who are in a desperate situation regarding their social housing with West Lancashire Borough Council and need your help.

Sean contacted Disabled People Against Cuts seeking our help in preventing their eviction from their council property following the death of both of their parents.

Critically, Andrew Brogan is a neuro-diverse adult who has lived in that house his entire life, which gives him the consistency and stability that is vital to his well-being as an autistic adult.

We believe that having to move and change everything he knows, on top of the death of both parents due to covid, would be absolutely devastating for him and would constitute a severe threat to his mental health.

Andrew has statements from several medical professionals that back this up, and even the uncertainty of the possibility of having to move is scaring Andrew even now.

While the council may say that they have followed the letter of their policy on housing succession, we believe that their decision discriminates against a disabled person, Andrew, and that they must reconsider.

We understand that Sean has already contacted you and has been told that there is nothing you can do.

We don’t believe that. As a Labour MP of a Labour council area you will have close contacts with councillors and have the ability to talk with them and influence their decisions on behalf of a constituent in need.

So we are asking you, please, to urgently get in contact with Sean Brogan ( who is copied in to this email) and discuss with him how you can help them remain in the home that is vital to Andrew’s health and quality of life.

We will publish this letter on our website, as is our normal practice. We look forward to publishing your response. but If we have not had a response within a week we will also state that on our blog.

Regards

Bob Ellard
DPAC Steering Group Member,

Representing Disabled People Against Cuts

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