A 21-year-old man who grew up in the Wirral care system has been homeless since March after his private tenancy was terminated. Leon Finley, a care leaver, has spoken about his experience navigating the housing support system, stating he felt he was left to fend for himself after losing his home.
Key Takeaways
- Leon Finley, 21, became homeless in March after his landlord ended his tenancy over a disputed noise complaint.
- As a care leaver with mental health diagnoses, he claims he was not treated as a top priority for housing by Wirral Council's homelessness service.
- Finley is now volunteering for a homeless charity and describes the scale of the issue in Liverpool city centre as an "epidemic."
- Wirral Council stated it gives care leavers the highest priority for social housing and that Leon continues to be supported by his personal advisor.
Eviction Leads to Homelessness
Leon Finley's housing situation became unstable earlier this year. After spending approximately five years in the care system until the age of 18, he was living in private rented accommodation. In March, his landlord cancelled his tenancy agreement following a noise complaint.
Finley disputes the complaint, claiming he was not present at the property at the time of the alleged incident. He reports that he was required to leave the property the following day, leaving him with no place to live.
Initially, he found temporary shelter by sleeping on a friend's couch. However, due to a change in his friend's circumstances, this arrangement could not continue. Since then, Finley has relied on financial help from friends to secure temporary accommodation while also dedicating his time to volunteering at the local homeless charity, Step to Shelter.
Navigating the Support System
After becoming homeless, Leon Finley sought assistance from Wirral Council's homelessness service. He claims that despite his status as a care leaver and having documented mental health conditions, he was informed he was not considered a top priority for rehousing.
Finley described his interactions with the service as frustrating. At one point, he alleges he was told by a representative, "Stop calling the line, we can’t do anything for you." This experience led him to feel passed between different agencies without a resolution.
"I didn’t know how bad things were until I was on the streets fending for myself," Finley stated, reflecting on his situation. "People need to know what is going on."
He described the process as being like "a game of pass the parcel," where he was referred to a charity that was also unable to provide assistance. However, Finley did acknowledge that his personal advisor, who is part of the council's dedicated team for supporting care leavers, has been making efforts to help him.
Ofsted Findings and Council Progress
An Ofsted inspection of Wirral’s children’s services published in 2024 identified a lack of sufficient accommodation choices for care leavers as a significant issue. A subsequent focused inspection later that year found the council had made progress in several areas and had taken action to address the concerns.
The Personal Impact and a Desire to Rebuild
The uncertainty has taken a significant toll on Finley. He is currently being considered for two properties in Wirral, but past disappointments have left him anxious about the outcome.
"I am worried that if things fall through again, I am in danger of losing hope," he said. "I didn’t think I would be left like this when things did fall apart. I have been left to fend for myself."
Finley has a previous conviction following a fight, which resulted in jail time. He says he has been focused on improving his life since then. "All I have tried to do is pick myself back up," he explained. "I have now got to a point where I am picking myself back up but the lack of support around the homelessness was quite shocking."
His personal experience has motivated him to continue volunteering with Step to Shelter. Observing the situation in Liverpool city centre, he described the level of homelessness as "an epidemic."
Homelessness in Liverpool City Centre
Leon Finley's observations highlight a visible issue. He commented, "You know how big the town centre is and on almost every street and alleyway you walk down, you find homeless people. It’s really bad."
Wirral Council's Commitment to Care Leavers
On September 22, Wirral Council presented an annual report to its education committee detailing progress in its children’s social care services. The report noted that changes to property allocation bands have resulted in an increasing number of care leavers living independently in social housing.
The council also reported a reduction in the number of children in care and that 26 care leavers are currently pursuing higher education, a record number for the area. Hundreds are also receiving emotional support services.
In response to questions about Leon Finley's case, a Wirral Council spokesperson provided a statement outlining their official policy and commitment.
"The council takes its role as the corporate parent extremely seriously and is absolutely committed to doing everything it can to support looked after young people into adulthood, in some cases until the age of 25. As part of this commitment, care leavers are supported to access suitable accommodation, which includes being given the highest priority status for social housing."
The spokesperson added that care leavers receive an "individually tailored pathway plan" and are assigned a personal advisor for regular support. Citing confidentiality, the council could not discuss specific details of Finley's case but confirmed he "continues to be supported on his pathway plan by his personal advisor."