Former Military Couple Give Up Baby For Adoption After Being Forced to the Streets
Glen and Simone Wallace became homeless earlier this year after being evicted from their home in London. However they say that the hardest part for them, was losing custody of their newborn son.
A former military couple were forced to give up their 15-week old baby after being evicted from their £785-a-week flat in London.
Simone and Glen Wallace, 24 and 46 respectively, had to leave their flat in Peckham after being unable to keep up with rent payments, and were forced to the streets.
The couple, who have been married for five years, have both been in the military, Glen serving as a sergeant for 10 years and Simone becoming an army cadet at the age of 14.
Simone said: "It's a slap in the face, because you think being in the army and serving your country, you'd get some support after that. But look at us now, I mean, we're homeless. You don't get anything."
Simone, who claims she was part of a bomb disposal team with her brother, says she was medically discharged for trauma after witnessing him being killed by a bomb.
Now suffering severe epilepsy and being left deaf in her left ear, she receives a disability allowance of £21 a week.
Glen, who has three children from a previous marriage, sees his entire army pension going towards child support.
He said: "I have to send money to my kids, so Simone and I are living off her disability allowance and our JSA (Job Seeker's Allowance) which is approximately £230 a fortnight so as you can see, it's not enough."
Receiving a total of just over £600 a month for both of them, the couple say it is simply not enough to be able to move into a rented property.
Glen said: "The average deposit is what, £500, we wouldn't be able to cope, we'd have to pay council tax, bills... We simply don't have that money, but we are trying to save."
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The couple say they can barely survive on the money they are receiving at the moment and they often have to look through ASDA's rubbish bins for food.
Simone said: "It's disgusting and embarrasing but when you haven't eaten for days and you are hungry, you are left with no other choice."
Glen, who has a major in sociology, added that he tried getting a job as a litter picker in Brighton but his application was rejected due to him being 'overqualified'.
He said: "Losing our son Alex was the hardest thing and we are trying to get back on our feet so that we can get him back but we just can't seem to get help in Brighton. The council won't help us."
Andy Winter, Chief Executive of the Brighton Housing Trust said that although there is support available for people who have served in the army, it is unlikely for people who do not have a local conection in Brighton to get housed in the city.
Mr Winter added that in some cases, having children remaining with their parents while they are dealing with various issues might not be in the best interest of the child.
He said: "It's a complicated situation, having a child taken away could be a very genuine child protection issue, if they are active addicts for example, so they might lose children because of that. If they get to recovery and they have children we can support them in the process as working with the authorities, possibly working with the courts where the child might be put up for adoption, but it does mean that people need to get clean if they have an addiction."
Brighton and Hove City Council declined to comment.
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