Christmas 'in limbo' for family facing homelessness

An ambulance worker and his family are facing homelessness due to a lack of affordable housing in the Lake District.

Emergency medical technician Nick Kirkham has been living the same property in Beetham, Cumbria, for nearly a decade, after being "forced" to move from Ambleside due to high prices.

But in July, the family returned from a holiday to find an eviction notice and Mr Kirkham believes his landlord wants to sell for it to become a holiday let.

Westmorland and Furness Council said it had "committed to supporting the delivery of affordable housing".

Mr Kirkham said he did not "expect special treatment", but if he was "struggling to find somewhere to to live and to rent, then how many other people that work for the NHS are in a similar position?"

The father-of-two believes the lack of affordable housing is in part down to the number of holiday lets and second homes in and around the Lake District.

Despite being given notice in summer, the family remain in the property in Beetham and are yet to receive any court orders, which Mr Kirkham described as a "limbo position".

"It's been incredibly stressful over the past few months," he said.

The village of Beetham is on Cumbria's border with Lancashire, about nine miles (14km) south of Kendal, and has a population of about 1,700.

Mr Kirkham has a 16-year-old daughter who is at college there and a 10-year-old son who attends the local primary school.

His wife works at the local supermarket.

They are now being managed by Westmorland and Furness Council through social housing and put a bid in for a property in Kendal, but they were seventh on the list.

"It highlights the fact that there potentially are six or seven families all homeless, waiting for suitable accommodation to come up," said Mr Kirkham.

A spokesperson for the council said it had put aside £6m to create more homes which are both shared ownership and for rent.

Nearly £600,000 will fund the creation of more social housing.

Mr Kirkham said his family had lived in Ambleside "comfortably" until their son was born when they needed to move somewhere with a third bedroom.

He said they were "forced to leave the village" as they could not find anywhere "affordable".

"The properties were all gone towards holiday lets and rentals," he said.

Mr Kirkham said the family had to go down the route of social housing to stay in the village, but the competition for properties was too much.

Now faced with a move to a different area again, Mr Kirkham said the family had not put up as many Christmas decorations as they "normally would" on the chance a property could come up.

He said he wanted to maintain the "status quo", as the family had commuting distances to consider and had made so many "local connections".

Mr Kirkham said his son would be "heartbroken" if he had to move schools and, as he was in his final year of primary, it would be a "major upheaval" during "a crucial time of his education".

"It can cause sleepless nights," he said.

"It can play on your mind. I can see why it has an effect on people's mental health.

"It just makes you wonder if it's all worthwhile.

"People in these local communities rely on NHS workers."

But Mr Kirkham is still hopeful.

"If anybody is facing homelessness at this time of year, or if they're have been made homeless and are struggling, particularly people that work for the NHS, maintain hope," he said.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel and something will present itself."

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