Winter fears for homeless man living in car

Floyd Fraser has been living in his Toyota or sofa-surfing with friends since April

A homeless man in Herefordshire has said he has been told by his doctor he will not survive the winter if he continues to sleep in his car.

Floyd Fraser, 60, lost his job and accommodation at a pub in Leominster in April. Since then he has been living in his vehicle, or sofa-surfing with friends, surviving on Universal Credit.

Five months after first contacting Herefordshire's housing team, he is still waiting to be offered a place in temporary accommodation.

Herefordshire Council has been approached for a response on Mr Fraser's case.

It is understood that the number of households placed in a hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation across the county has increased by three-quarters in a year.

"It's been really rough. It's all about just finding somewhere safe where I can just rest my head at night," Mr Fraser said.

"It's all about finding somewhere where there is water and where I can use the toilet. Thank goodness I've got people I know in Leominster."

Originally from West Bromwich, Mr Fraser - here pictured with his daughter Eleena -moved to Leominster in 2022

With the help of a local Christian group, he was put in touch with Herefordshire Council's housing team back in June.

But five months on he has still not been offered temporary accommodation.

"It took ages, absolutely ages, before I got any reply," he said.

As his mental health worsened, Mr Fraser was referred to his GP by paramedics.

After his appointment, he said his doctor had been helpful, providing him with an assessment he could take to Herefordshire's housing triage team.

"He hit me really hard. He says if I'm in my car in four to five months' time, I will die."

His eldest daughter Eleena, who lives in Birmingham, accompanied him to his appointment.

"I feel like my dad has been left in the lurch, to fend for himself", she said.

"With him being 60 there is a duty of care."

Mr Fraser has been sleeping overnight on and off in his car

Mr Fraser's case is not an isolated one in Herefordshire.

The past year has seen a "marked increase" in households coming to Herefordshire Council's housing teams, according to a briefing from the local authority to the county's homeless forum earlier this month.

Between October 2022 and October 2023 there was a 77.5% increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation.

The council said this was in line with the national trend, and that friends and family were becoming more reluctant to accommodate people because of financial pressures.

"A lot of those homeless are people sofa-surfing and of no fixed abode sleeping with friends," said Christine Price, who chairs Herefordshire Homeless Forum.

"Really the systemic issue is investment from government to invest in housing stock."

Christine Price says long-term planning is needed to provide enough temporary accommodation

Earlier this month Herefordshire Council announced plans to spend £1.8m in the coming years on temporary accommodation for homeless people.

It is part of the funding made available by central government, which said it had provided local authorities with £1bn to help prevent the need for people to be put into temporary accommodation.

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