Islington News: Advice | Financial Difficulty | Repossession | Home | Citizens Advice Bureau | CAB | Mortgage | Jeremy Corbyn

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 24 October 2008

PLEA FOR HELP IN BATTLE TO SAVE HOMES

Advice centres ‘overwhelmed’ as families struggle with mortgages

ISLINGTON’S two Labour MPs issued a dire warning this week about a lack of advice for people struggling with financial difficulties – amid fears of an explosion in the number of homes repossessions.
They spoke out as it was revealed that between April and June this year there were 261 home repossession claims in Islington and Shoreditch – a 15 per cent increase on last year.
A new Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) service – replacing one that shut down last year – will not now be operating until January.
Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) and Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) said they were “snowed under” by people seeking help over rent and mortgage arrears.
The MPs criticised Lib Dem-controlled Islington Council’s delay in providing a new CAB service.
Zimbabwe refugee Stella Maravanyika, a human rights campaigner from Finsbury Park, was forced to seek advice on an asylum issue from Kentish Town CAB but was refused because she did not live in Camden.
Ms Maravanyika then turned to Mr Corbyn’s Islington office for help. “I thought CAB would help as I was only in the next borough,” she said. “But they said they were too busy and anyway I didn’t live in the right borough.” A Tribune reporter tried to phone the Law Centre in Hornsey Road – one of the Islington organisations providing advice – during normal working hours but was met with a series of automated instructions.
He was told that if “you are about to be evicted from your home” press zero. The reporter was then told he could not be dealt with immediately due to a very high number of phone calls and to ring back.
Town Hall Labour group leader Councillor Catherine West said many residents are seeking help from CAB centres in neighbouring Camden or Haringey because of the weeks-long wait for advice in Islington.
She added: “North of the borough has the Law Centre and the Islington People’s Rights Centre, but south of the borough desperate people are turning to MP Emily Thornberry for advice.”
Ms Thornberry confirmed that she was “snowed under” with people struggling with mortgage arrears, debt and immigration problems.
She believes she has one of the highest MP caseloads in the country.
“I’m happy to help my constituents but there are limits on my resources,” Ms Thornberry said. “We haven’t had a CAB in the south for years. Since I was elected three-and-a-half years ago I’ve had 15,000 people contact me for help.
“I have an amazing dedicated staff who work ridiculously long hours but many of the letters we receive are still several weeks old.”
Mr Corbyn said that provision of advice in Islington was a “very sad” story.
He added: “We once had three CAB offices along with a law centre and people’s rights centre. Today we just have the two centres. Both are overwhelmed by demand.”
Lib Dem deputy council leader Councillor Terry Stacy said there would be a new CAB service “in some shape or form” in January.
He added: “We are spending the same money on advice – £1.8m – since the closure of CAB.
“All the money is now divided between the law centre and People’s Rights. “
Cllr Stacy added that it was wrong to suggest Ms Thornberry provided all the advice in the south of the borough.
He said: “What about the Mary Ward Legal Centre in the south? It delivers more than £340,000 worth of advice via the council’s partners, Cripplegate.
“On top of that, Homes for Islington fund an additional £100,000 worth of advice across the borough.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: