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One in six rough sleepers is from Eastern Europe
Evening Standard21 Dec 2007
One in six homeless people in central London is from eastern Europe.
Figures show the number of penniless immigrants from countries such as Poland and Romania has rocketed since the expansion of the European Union in 2004, with many left sleeping rough because of spiralling London rents.
A straw poll of boroughs, published this week in Hansard in response to a parliamentary question, found that in Westminster 20 of the 112 rough sleepers are from eastern Europe. In Redbridge almost half of street sleepers are from the former Eastern Bloc, as are a third in Lambeth.
The Evening Standard met more than 40 homeless people gathering in Victoria Street, waiting for food from volunteers.
Alena Brnova, who moved to Britain from Slovakia three years ago, was forced to give up her small flat because she could not afford it - despite working full-time.
Her £150-a-week salary would not cover her rent of £120 per week as well as other outgoings.
She found work as a hotel chambermaid in Victoria but still did not earn enough to pay for rent and is now living rough. She relies on food handouts.
Ms Brnova said: "It is so hard. I work seven days a week with no time off. I can't pay rent so I have to sleep on the street. I came here to work but never thought I would be on the street."
Marek Dmytruszyinski, 38, is also homeless. "I have been on the streets for one year after working for two and a half years," he said.
Tim Nicholls, director of the Simon Community, which delivers food to the homeless, said unscrupulous bosses were a big part of why so many eastern Europeans were homeless.
He said: "We hear lots of stories of exploitation by employers who don't care if they are breaking the minimum wage. Workers live in terrible conditions, sometimes earning as little as £1.50 per hour."
Reader views (5)
Chris you do not know my story so why you tell to deport me. I am not like other homeless I try my best and nobody help me, I am in EU so I can live and vork here! Do you think I come here to do nathing? And by the way I do not sleep on the street anymore because I helped myself........
- Alena, london, 05/01/2010 04:20
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It is the exploitation of these people by unscrupulous bosses which is at the heart of the Eastern European problem.
If they had to pay minimum wages most of these people would be able to afford homes and in turn pay taxes etc., which a lot of our so called native Britsh avoid and do a good bit of sponging themselves. I know people who left school with me, I'm 48, who have never worked nor wanted to!
Tell me who is worse in that case, these people are only taking us at our word for over half a century they lived under the yolk of communism and were told by us in the West that we would help them if they overthrew their masters and turned to the west.
They were suckered and the same politicans who cried crocidile tears then are trying to surpress them again.
It makes me sick.
- Ted, Northern Ireland, 05/02/2008 10:44
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Perhaps Alena from Slovakia was setting her accommodation standards too high. She was spending £500 per month on rent. There are rooms available in shared flats all over London for half that price.
- Chris, London, 21/12/2007 13:46
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Deport them. They have come here expecting a handout and got nothing. Good! one good thing about this is the fact that at least they have not been given housing rightfully meant for Ancestoral Britains. Get rid of them they are taking up too much space in our country
- Minime, South East England, 21/12/2007 13:11
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Surely life back in Slovakia and Poland with their families is better than sleeping rough on the streets of London.
- Anthony, London,, 21/12/2007 13:04
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