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I can't believe that this elected official neglected his duty to provide advice, shocked, but then again he has a Tory outlook on life!

- Milton Grimshaw, Greater Manchester, UK, 04/01/2012 20:33
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I have to agree with him. His wage has nothing to do with her situation. For the rest of us who have had no other option but to apply for council housing and reside there until we could afford something better, I feel no sympathy for her. Who wants to pay nearly a grand a month for rent anyway? I sure as s**t don't. If she is paying it out of her own pocket then she will save cash by moving into local authority housing. If she is not then her housing benefit which we are paying for will be drastically cut to the benefit of the UK tax payer. He could have been a little nicer perhaps but I see no hypocrisy in any of his statements.

- Rachel Foster, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 04/01/2012 17:28
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"Mr" Coleman is a scandal, a blot upon the landscape. Unfortunately, unlike those embarrassing uncles that have to be invited to one's wedding, we can't laugh him off. We can only try to vote him out. Perhaps we could arrange for him to take a very long taxi ride somewhere. He's very fond of using taxis.

- Helena Horwath, North Finchley, London, 04/01/2012 13:38
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People should not come into the situation to pledge for charity but for justice.

If government were the people it would stop eviction and foreclosures at once because of the injustice that the people does not rule the economy but had to bear out its consequences.

Forget the governments and start thinking how to organize in another way. This injustice just goes deeper and deeper and the government is not on your side.

- Bruno Ernst, Berlin, 26/10/2011 19:09
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Brian Colman, once again demonstrates what a disrespectfull, arrogant and ignorant pig he is, since I unfortunately met him last year i have now made his demise my lifes work!! He dislikes firefighters and women (oh sorry he loves his mummy, LOL) she is so proud of him! how ignorant she is. Think back Mr Coleman to the Medal ceremony last year the day after 2 firefighters died and your rude comments to the LFB staff and your disrespect to the memory of those lost, I told you to your face what I thought of you and every time I hear your name i remember that day you ruined!!

- Linda Triphook, Ilford Essex, 22/10/2011 18:54
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What a arrogant person he is, is hard for a person with such a high paid and the benefit of claiming expenses to understand what a real life for a normal person in this tough economy climate. A polite respond or maybe some guidance to other party for help will be appropriate. By the way, is the duty of councillor to help the people as a public servant.

Of course i agreed that everyone of us should be responsible and sort out our own life. But every decision that the council make will have impact of our daily life. For example, closing down library claim to cut expanses while councillors claims thousands on taxi expanses. Raising up parking permit fee from 40 to 100 for resident just to park the car in front of their house and increase voucher fares from 1 to 4 just have someone to visit them (effect elderly the most). When he annouced it, he claimed that parking permit average for 2 pounds a week is still consider very cheap. However councillors will have a special permit as a benefit to park anyway they want. Just another cash making scheme to balance their book (barnet council lost a considerable amount of money investing in iceland).

As a councillor, he should set a good example to the people. Why can't he start using public transport like bus and tube since the goverment always encourage people to use public transport. I am sure people will agree for councillors to have free pass. Council can cut expenses & councillor will understand problems in their area more.

- tom, finchley, 21/10/2011 13:13
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Claire no need for sterilization or abortion just cut the benefits and it will have the same impact. The have baby get a house program is over now there no money left.

- Mike, London, 20/10/2011 23:58
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Barnet's rich Councillor may have a problem, with empathy, Christian charity, and insight.....ask the firemen and staff at the London Fire Brigade where he has so much power he cannot posssibly have time to think about the welfare of his constituents

- jaycee, Stevenage. England, 20/10/2011 20:06
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Brian Coleman is paid more than £120K pa and yet he lives in Finchley Methodist Church Housing Association Flat for which he allegedly pays £546 per month.
Who's living in the real world? I'd suggest it isn't Coleman.
It is morally questionable for someone on such a high salary to stay in a Housing association property

- simon, Kingston, 20/10/2011 18:56
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I note the comments (supposedly) from Sharada herself - I cannot see any negative comments about her son. If that is genuinely her & she is reading the comments, she said "Unfortunately I don't have proper access to a computer at this moment in time to add my comments" But she added those comments!

Presumably wherever she is studying they have computers she can use?

"suggestions that I shouldn't have given birth to him if I couldn't afford to" Well surely when you were pregnant you were aware of the financial implications (and responsibilities)?

"and mention of the father who is absent" Valid question - where is he, and why is he not contributing?

- Phil, Tottenham, 20/10/2011 12:53
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Maybe he could, like Claire, London said, have been a bit more sympathetic, but he is correct about available housing.

I wonder what sort of property Ms Osman lives in as even £950 a month seems a lot. She has a two-bed maisonette - perhaps she could look at the surrounding areas for something a bit cheaper?

Realise for someone on benefits even £100 may seem a lot - she is a part-time student, does she also have a part time job?

And what about her son's father - is she getting anything from him?

- Martin, Bromley, 20/10/2011 12:45
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If he was doing the work to justify his £120,000 a year he could have:
a) Offered some murmurings of sympathy even if he didn’t really mean it, being nice costs nothing
b) Pointed her in the direction of the Citizen’s advice bureau
c) Mentioned the various charities/campaigning groups who might be able to help or offer her more advice, Gingerbread, her college, student union
d) Suggested she apply to a housing association
e) Checked that she was receiving any benefits she’s entitled to (or sent her to an agency which does this) and that the landlord wasn’t breaking any laws
f) Offered to write to her landlord – a colleague of my friend had a councillor do this and the landlord agreed not to raise the rent saying, ‘I didn’t realise she couldn’t afford it’!
If he thinks he’s entitled to his £120,000 without offering constituents any help he’ll have to get rid of councillor surgeries and publicly state he won’t deal with any constituents complaints, problems, letters, emails, phone calls etc.

- Claire, London, 20/10/2011 11:02
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Again, more people saying she's made a choice (to be a single parent) with no foreknowledge of the person's history. Could some of you inform everyone where one can buy a reliable crystal ball, or a faultless soothsay so everyone will KNOW in advance if their partner will leave them holding the baby?

What’s your solution - eugenics maybe? Compulsory sterilisation everyone with an income of less than, what do you suggest, £21000, or more like £30,000 in London? Compulsory abortions for all parents with low income? Forcibly drag children from their parents (see Cathy Come Home for ideas on how it's done) to enable the parents to live in hostels, benders, or a hole in the road?

You can say until the cows come home that people who don't have money shouldn't have children but they will (if they don't, who will wipe your bum when you're old an incontinent - not Tristram or Tabitha Ponsonby-Smythe that's for sure!). And remember that even people with a good income could lose their job, have a serious accident, contract a chronic or fatal illness, become violent or criminal. So how do we deal with people (and their children remember) who fall into these categories? And who are you to say who is deserving or undeserving anyway?

- Claire, London, 20/10/2011 11:01
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So, Ms Osman told the Tory Assembly member that she was writing to him "out of desperation in hope that someone can offer some help and guidance"

WTF was she expecting? If politicians' hollow platitudes paid the rent, I'd be living at the Ritz.

She should be relieved the member concerned didn't have the arrogance to offer any.

- Tiina, Dorking, UK, 20/10/2011 01:19
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Just found an interesting fact about Ms Osman from The Daily Mirror not mentioned in The Stndard Article...

SHARADA Osman was astonished to be hit with a 25% surge in her rent demand. The 39-year-old has lived in a two-bed maisonette in North Finchley, North London, for six years.

But, when her annual tenancy came up for review, she was told that the rent would rise from £950 to £1,200 a month.

As a part-time student, Ms Osman gets housing benefit for the majority of the existing rent but she still needs to find £100 to cover the shortfall.

SO THERE WE HAVE IT. Her Rent is in fact covered by Housing benefit and she has to find only another £ 100 a MONTH! The Brass neck of this woman to complain about having to pay £ 100 a month!!!!

- hunter, London, 20/10/2011 00:50
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and another thing. Can Ms Osman confirm or deny she is a member of the Labour Party

- hunter, London, 20/10/2011 00:43
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What the hell is the point of this story. Seriously??
Why did she write to him. He answered and she ahould have left it at that. About time she stops sponging off the state and got a job

- hunter, London, 20/10/2011 00:20
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These councillors are no more than useless common old garden criminals. Most of these 'elected' councillors should be forced to return the money they have claimed in expenses.

If they don't, then their homes should be claimed under proceeds of crime law.

Here In Brixton, they are literally a cabal. God protect the public from these elected gang members.

- Marcia Simpson-James, London, 19/10/2011 21:37
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First month's rent and deposit upfront - perhaps £2,000. Removal costs and agency fees - perhaps £300.

Monthly net income on benefits - perhaps £600-700 with limited or no scope to save.

So the cost of moving is potentially going to be £2,300 which equates to 3 months income. And that's if she can even find a landlord to take her as most reject benefit claimants.

Computer says no...

- Ambiguous, Vague, 19/10/2011 21:32
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Brian Coleman is sticking his head in the sand.

The changes to the LHA rates, plus the pressure on rental prices caused by the shortage in London, means his housing/homelessness department will see many similar cases to Ms Osman.

So he can be as nasty as he likes but this isn't an isolated example. Many households reliant on LHA, including those in work, will be forced to move and many will be looking for support, advice and assistance.

In many of those cases, the local council will have no choice but to help these households under their statutory homelessness obligations. They cannot get out of their responsibilities by sending a curt email.

It's just as well that local councils are obligated to help those losing their tenancies through no fault of their own because if it was left to the discretion of councillors like Mr Coleman, we'd have a public disaster on our hands and see whole families sleeping rough out on the streets.

- Ambiguous, Vague, 19/10/2011 21:14
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Classic example of the benefit poverty trap.

Failure of successive governments to match population/household increase with house-building which has caused extortionate rents. The Tory's Right to Buy programme decimated the supply of social housing which has forced many households into unaffordable private rents.

Failure to provide affordable childcare which means that it can be uneconomical for some parents to seek employment because childcare costs simply erode their wages.

Failure to provide decent jobs. The national minimum wage has essentially become the national maximum wage, salaries have dropped and a person can work like a dog, holding down 2 jobs and still live in a hovel.

Failure to match the benefit system with how the private housing market works. Virtually all landlords require a month's rent and deposit upfront, plus steep fees for letting agents and removal companies but this is not matched for benefit claimants who virtually all struggle to find a hefty sum out of their subsistence benefits.

- Ambiguous, Vague, 19/10/2011 21:11
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I'm struggling to see how Coleman's salary fits into the story?

- Foxy, Lichfield, uk, 19/10/2011 21:03
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So she can manage a college place, raise a kid and mount a media campaign but when it comes to the fairly common event of moving property, she is suddenly powerless?

I imagine the councillor is fed up with being contacted by people whose default position is to see themselves as vulnerable and incapable of managing their own affairs.

- Boris & Doris, Spain, 19/10/2011 21:01
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Sharada. I had to cut short my maternity leave to go back to work to cover my mortgage. Needs must?

There are cheaper areas of N. London/Herts. Perhaps you will be able to afford more if you move? Your story has come at a difficult time for many people. I am not an unkind person but I'm struggling to have any sympathy for you.

Also, unless he has died 'father not around' doesn't cut it with me. Why should my family pay to support your choices?

- Jan, London, 19/10/2011 19:45
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I'm simply amazed that the good people of Barnett continue to vote to keep this individual in office. I also wonder whether he's worth half of what he's paid - never mind expenses, which, according to press reports, he has been none too shy about claiming. And then he treats the people for whom he works like that. As for the astonishing "correspondence closed"?!? Pompous ass****!

- GB, London, 19/10/2011 19:34
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But Alex, how could this councillor help? What practical assistance could he provide above what the tenant could get from other sources?

Help her form a budget, contact landlords, negotiate with her landlord, award her a council flat?

She wanted help with her immediate housing needs to deal with a rent increase or the prospect of moving. Either at a personal or system level, he could not have done much more than state the obvious - there's a shortage of council housing and she ought to seek a new private property.

He should have been more civil but there's little he can do about demand for housing stripping supply in popular and expensive areas - this is a structural societal issue, an infrastructure issue, though the effect will feel personal to the subject of the article.

His attitude, while very uncivil, probably chimes with the working poor who resent those not in employment having equivalent or better standards of living.

Plenty of people have to move house for many reasons & they don't call upon their local councillor expecting them to facilitate it. There’s a recession on and big inflation – very few are exempt from the impact of rising expenses and static income. Again, why is this a local council issue?

In her original email, she is unimpressed with the help given by CAB, Shelter and the council housing department. She cannot grasp that the solution lies with her and not a third party. She must change her circumstances and address the rent/income disparity.

- WhoCaresWins, UK, 19/10/2011 19:24
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It is a simple fact that these levels of rent cannot be sustained under housing benefit. Private landlords are taking advantage of this particular gravy train. If a single or couple working full-time cannot afford rent of £1000 per month, why on earth should someone be able to claim it by way of housing benefit? I know of a young lady with a child who has never worked - nor I suspect ever will, who has a two bedroomed flat paid entirely by housing benefit at £950 per month. There are many who work hard who would struggle to pay this. That's not fair either.

- Angela, Northwood Middx, 19/10/2011 19:23
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Mr Coleman is living off the tax payer... he is a leech sinple. He get out and get a real job!

- Raj, Dubai, 19/10/2011 19:08
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While he could have been more tactful, he was basically right.

If she can afford a place at about £1,000 - a month I assume - she obviously has adequate means.

There is no mention of any support from the father of her child.

I for one, and I do not think I am alone, am tired of hearing about the problems of single parents. There are some who are single through the early death of their spouse, but these aside, why have kids of there is not adequate support from a spouse.

There are various options available eg finding cheaper accommodation, giving up studies and working, moving back with parents.

When I did voluntary charity work overseas I saw people who were incredibly poor, who literally did not now where the next meal was coming from. No health service, no housing benefits, nothing. Everyone in this country is well off in comparison.

- M E Corby, London UK, 19/10/2011 18:58
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Harry Cole, Bow, said: It says she's unemployed. It doesn't say anything about claiming benefits, she could be living off savings..

Hahaha - what planet are you living on?

- Rory, UK, 19/10/2011 18:57
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I think a lot of the commenters have missed the point. The point is not whether you favour the rights or wrongs of a system of welfare. The point is that this man's position of comparative prosperity, <u>at the taxpayer's expense I may add</u>, should ensure a more compassionate attitude for a constituent in obvious distress.

Whether he agrees or not, whether he is in a position to help or not, he should not be adding to the upset of his constituent. He is a public servant - not this woman's Lord and Master. To behave in this way betrays a state of mind which is uncivilised, small-minded, unkind and sadly, sadly typical.

- Alex, London, 19/10/2011 18:30
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Realistically, though, what could the councillor do about this case?

Put aside the emotive benefit and single parent issues and ask yourself, what practical help could she have achieved from emailing a councillor?

A local council can barely manage to empty bins, deal with noisy neighbours, collect council tax, run a few sports facilities.

What they can do to resolve an income versus expenses issue at a personal level? Or even at a system level if it is accepted that she cannot afford either to stay or move. That she's in a benefit trap where there's no actual rise in income if she works because wages are low and child care is expensive?

I have come across the content of her original letter to the councillor on the Barneteye blogspot. It is calm and measured, clearly outlining the limitations of help available and her constraints, the impact of having to move, her steps to try and improve her situation.

Yet I don't think she needed to contact her councillor, or an MP, or Shelter, or Citizens Advice, or canvass her friends, or speak to the press or speak to the local council housing department.

It's simply that she needs to find a cheaper place or work full time. No biggy.

Steps include borrowing the expense of a move from friends, relatives, a credit union or the local council rent deposit scheme, call in favours from friends and relatives to organise a van for removals, ask friend or relatives to be her guarantor.

Or find a full time job.

It's not rocket science.

- WhoCaresWins, UK, 19/10/2011 18:25
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It says she's unemployed. It doesn't say anything about claiming benefits, she could be living off savings, still, don't let what you can't possibly know whip you up into a frenzy of ludicrous assumptions. Coleman didn't even bother to read her first letter properly, she had ALREADY TOLD HIM she was in private accommodation. What a rude, arrogant and unpleasant man.

- Harry Cole, Bow, 19/10/2011 17:54
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Seems like the ideal opportunity for the mother and child to learn that there are consequences for bad behaviour.

Unless of course that is too realistic and out of step with the current doctrine.

- Ellis Déity, Club, 19/10/2011 17:52
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Has anyone else noticed how many single parents suddenly discover a vocation to study when they are due to be switched from income support to Job Seekers allowance when their youngest reaches the threshold for this change?

Single parents continue to be eligible for full income related benefits if they take up full time studies (which often less than 2.5 days per week to qualify as full time).

A student without a child has to pay for their rent and earn money to support their studies. A lone parent does not suffer the expense of rent, gets at least £150 in their hand each week and doesn't have to find boring/stressful low paid employment in order to pay for their groceries.

I do believe that Ms Osman genuinely struggles to make ends meet. I do think the councillor should have given her less rude advice to encourage her to solve her own personal problems. I am certain that a benefit claimant finds it extremely difficult to find decent accommodation. I wish the govt would introduce real policies for real change to improve the supply of housing.

But I don't think that she realises that it takes 23 people in full time Minimum National Wage employment to fund her household, (each pays around £900 per year in tax). That's 23 cleaners, shop assistants, waiters, burger flippers, bar staff, telesales staff,etc, working around 805 hours per week in total, to raise in taxes the money for her rent, council tax, and living expenses.

- Baffled, UK, 19/10/2011 17:51
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Exactly as we have come to expect of this fat, unmarried mummy's boy.

Just watch how quickly this useless arrogant lump of a man whines if his expenses are not paid in full and on time.

No surprises that such a selfish, immature apology for a man could not find a woman to put him back into his kiddy box and force him to grow up, instead of continually growing outwards.

Clearly no shortage of anything in the Coleman household, especially the food.

- Concerned Observer, Harrow, 19/10/2011 17:26
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When I see the number of callous comments to this article, it saddens me to realise that there are so many more who come from the same gutter as Coleman. I long for the day when Britain is free of these brainless bigots. Good luck Sharada, I really hope things work out for you in the end and please ignore these hateful idiots who thrive on the misfortunes of others.

- JO, Kilburn, 19/10/2011 17:18
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This is the facts of the new world we live in today, its tough but you will get used to it in time. I have!

- Prophet of doom, UK dustbin of Europe, 19/10/2011 17:16
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"Sharada, if you do not wish to have your private affairs discussed in open forum, then you should not have given an interview to the press."

That's right. Anyone whose name has ever appeared in the press mustn't complain if anonymous saddos queue up to call her a poor mother, GUFFAW! Looks like Coleman's office staff have started work, ha ha!

- Harry Cole, Bow, 19/10/2011 16:58
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Sharada, if you do not wish to have your private affairs discussed in open forum, then you should not have given an interview to the press. I am afraid that regardless of how his comments were given, your local MP is correct in his response. You should try and get yourself a job and pay for your own expenses, instead of expecting others to help you while you continue to study. Your studies are not and should not be your main priority. Your child should be. Therefore do whatever is necessary to support your child. Harsh admittedly, but true.

- Geraldine, London, 19/10/2011 16:52
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The "poor" mum is so desperate but has time for a professional photoshoot!

If you pop out lids then pop out of yer pocket your own money to look after it!

GET A FULL TIME JOB, LOVE!

- Colin from Colindale, Colindale - London, 19/10/2011 16:52
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A single parent with one child living in the cheaper part of Barnet will cost the state approximately 22k per year composed of 12k rent, 1.2k council tax benefit and 7.8k in other benefits (income support, child benefit, tax credits). There is a loss to the public purse because there is no contribution to the tax system from employer and employee.

It's equivalent to a taxable salary of 29k per year to earn that kind of net income. However, it is not a sum that would allow a professional with that salary able to afford a 2 bedroom flat in one of the top 15 most expensive areas in the UK.

A single person in a full time job on the National Minimum Wage would net around £876 per month after tax. So a single parent in inner london receives in state subsidies the equivalent of 4 people's net wages working fulltime on NMW.

That said, trying to pay a shortfall of, for example £100 per month in LHA out of single parent cash benefits of around £650 per month, is going to be tough, even though there is no council tax to pay.

It is true that private landlords shun benefit claimants, that moving costs are prohibitive (the upfront payment of rent and a deposit, agency fees and removals) is very steep.

So I can see why the lady feels trapped - she has a standard of living and free time that those with jobs envy but little latitude to afford a move to somewhere cheaper, plus she has probably been cushioned from economic reality for years so this is a rude wakeup call.

- Facts, UK, 19/10/2011 16:45
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but I would like to please ask people to refrain from making any negative comments about my son

Sharada, who made a negative comment about your son? Playing victim again???

- Mike, London, 19/10/2011 16:29
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First, ES are completely wrong by saying he's one of the best paid councillors. There are many more local councillors earning well over £150k in other councils And what does he earn have to do with anything?

Why is her landlord raising the rent and what help does she expect? The flat is privately owned. Is the landlord declaring this extra income? She could always get a cheaper flat in less expensive area.

- mike, london, 19/10/2011 16:14
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Some people thrive on being hated. Coleman is one such oaf. He has a complete and overwhelming dislike of his constituents, and a pathological distain for public opinion, and he never passes up on a chance to make it known. I speak as a resident within his crumbling empire. We are waiting out turn Brian... we will have you, rest assured!

- Crazy Hippie, 10 Drowning Street SW1, 19/10/2011 16:11
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What's been your total sum of money you've claimed from the state Steve Katz? How many children have you raised on your own whilst studying? Suppose I had claimed less, or paid more tax (pretty confident on that one actually). Would that mean I would be morally superior to you, to the extent I could imply your wife works as a prostitute and your children are parasitical leeches? That seems to be your logic here, unless it just gives you a thrill to use an aonymous name to insult women and children.

- Harry Cole, Bow, 19/10/2011 16:07
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You are not the only one. my granddaughter is homeless she and her partner and baby are living with her mother,she works part-time her partner is out of work trying to get a job she cannot afford to rent or buy on what their income is. Stop moaning there are people worse off than you.

- ETSY, London, 19/10/2011 16:05
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@Harry Cole - well said. It's about time idiots like Steve Katz were confronted for twisting the facts to suit their small-minded way of thinking.

- Mark, St Albans, 19/10/2011 16:05
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I do feel sorry for this person, especially if her son has learning difficulties but why put his picture in the paper?

- Bob, London, 19/10/2011 16:05
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Why did she expect the local elected representative to offer personalised help and guidance in the matter of a £35 per week rent increase and potential move to a new property? What could he say or do that she couldn't have found out for herself?

There are organisations like Gingerbread, Shelter, Citizens Advice, consumer forums and her college that could check her rights and entitlements, help her with budgeting, give advice on childcare and support her into employment.

Would a person in employment have expected sympathy and a personal development plan from a busy councillor when their wages remain static but their rent increased by 15% or would they have rolled up their sleeves and sorted it out themselves?

FYI, John Moss, the maximum LHA for Barnet for a 2 bedroom property is between £996 and £1250 per month, depending on what part it is in and whether or not the recipient is entitled to all of that sum.

Generally, a single parent with one child receives around £150 per week in benefit income (£67 income support or Job Seekers allowance, £60 child tax credits and £20 child benefit, plus full council tax rebate and LHA for a 2 bedroom property.

I am not implying that this is the case for Ms Osman as we have no insight into her income but this amount is not always sufficient to cover a big shortfall between the level of the rent and the amount of LHA received.

- Jowo, UK, 19/10/2011 15:58
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There are plenty of part time jobs going. All my mum is doing in her typical high street retail shop is serving Eastern Europeans who are having no trouble getting employment. The only ones struggling are the English.

- Lou, London, 19/10/2011 13:08

Doesn't that tell you something, though, that Eastern Europeans are more adept and willing to find work than a lot of inept English people who refuse to do such jobs because it's 'beneath them', then complain about immigrants 'coming here and taking our jobs and homes'?

- Mark, St Albans, 19/10/2011 15:57
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"But you saying the public aren't entitled to an opinion of the situation is ruder. "

Except Sharada didn't say that, she asked for people to stop commenting about her child. Only a pretty sick person would ignore this polite request.

"Living off the taxpayer when you can work is very, very rude."

It looks as though the mother's entire income from the state is less than what Coleman spends on taxis, including £412 for one single journey when he asked the driver to keep the meter running and wait.

Who's the greater parasite?

- Harry Cole, Bow, 19/10/2011 15:47
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Perhaps Mr Coleman would like to join the real world by taking a substantial pay cut...£120K a year for a glorified office clerk? Bugger he earns more than many GPs...you know, important people who make a REAL impact upon Society.

This glorified office clerk should not be on more than £15k/year.

- Ahmad, Birimingham, 19/10/2011 15:44
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Sharada -

1. Brian Coleman's email to you was a bit rude.
2. But you saying the public aren't entitled to an opinion of the situation is ruder.
3. Living off the taxpayer when you can work is very, very rude.

- steve katz, London, 19/10/2011 15:35
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Current Local Housing Allowance rates for a two bedroom flat in North Finchley (LB Barnet) are £290 per week or £1,250 per month. So she can apply for Housing Benefit if she needs help paying her rent - BTW - this is the rate after the evil nasty Tory cuts.

- John Moss, London, 19/10/2011 15:30
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I wish I could live in the 'Real World' of 120k per year!

- Mark, Central London, 19/10/2011 15:28
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Colemanballs strikes again!
This nasty, horrible man deserves a kicking! When libraries are being closed, c***s like this walk home with £120k a year? I hope the voters of Barnet remember this man. He put up parking charges and told the people who elected him to stop whinging, if my memory serves me right. And now this latest fine example of public service, which I hope David Cameron has noted, because these sort of things can lose elections...

As I said, he deserves a kicking - out of office at the earliest opportunity.

- ID, South Coast, UK, 19/10/2011 15:27
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Best of luck to you and your son Sharada, forget the idiots who comment here who seem to have enough time whilst at work to criticise poor people! I imagine they all pay council tax on the moral high ground, ha ha! Hope things work out for you!

As for Coleman, he's got a nerve saying people should "live in the real world" at the same time as living in subsidised accommodation and at the same time has claimed over £25,000 in taxi fares! That's twenty five thousand pounds us taxpayers have paid to ferry Coleman's corpulent carcass around the capital. The man's a parasite, Ms Osman's a good mum trying to do the best for her child.

- Harry Cole, Bow, 19/10/2011 15:26
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The Nasty Party at its finest - capable of shooting itself in the foot any time, any where.

- Baron von Richtofen, Biggin Hill, 19/10/2011 15:19
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And further questions

1. Where is the father and why is he not paying ?

2 Where are the grand parents and familt support

3 Why is it only in the UK the tax payers has to step in for absent family ?

- john, london, 19/10/2011 15:14
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"What can she do? Turn to prostitution? The workhouse?" - no. Just the far crueller fates of:

1. Getting a job
2. Paying her own rent.
3. Supporting her own child.

Is anyone else getting tired of competitive victimhood?

- Steve Katz, London, 19/10/2011 15:13
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How many more nasty comments can come from one mans mouth before someone shuts it for him by not electing him into office

- bazza, london, 19/10/2011 15:06
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She has options
1) get a job
2) rent a less expensive home

- Uma, London, 19/10/2011 15:03
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Unfortunately I don't have proper access to a computer at this moment in time to add my comments, but I would like to please ask people to refrain from making any negative comments about my son, including suggestions that I shouldn't have given birth to him if I couldn't afford to, and mention of the father who is absent. Never mind the other negative presumptions made on here about my life!

- Sharada, London, 19/10/2011 15:02
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The Standard are wasting their time with their anti-Brian Coleman campaign. They are just playing to their chattering-class, left-wing, inner London readers. Coleman does not care, he is voted in by hard-working suburban Londoners, who have little sympathy for the benefit huggers. These are the people being hit by tax rises and high inflation, whilst subsidising the feckless and the causes of the middle-class, woolly liberals. I suggest ES writers get out of their gentrified inner London enclaves and talk to hard-working taxpayers.

- Dennis, N London, 19/10/2011 14:58
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Social housing allocation is based on need, with those facing homelessness with children treated as a priority.

It is very common for a parent who has been served notice by a private landlord to submit a homelessness application to their local council rather than look for another private rental. They are aware that the local council has a statutory obligation (no discretion) to give them a social housing tenancy and there is no obligation for the person to resolve their own housing issue.

In otherwords, merely by being passive and unproactive in finding onward accommodation themselves, a person can leapfrog over others seeking the scarce resource of a lifelong secure tenancy with cheap rent that they can pass onto their kids.

I imagine that this type of behaviour, the right of certain groups to be guaranteed social housing which erodes their responsibility to sort out their own housing need themselves, which makes the councillor very weary, even though the lady in the article is not seeking this outcome.

In the real world, the lady has a few options -
1. present herself as homeless to the council when her landlord serves notice
2. find a cheaper private property
3. increase her income through employment, child maintenance or better budgeting to find that extra £35 rent a week.
Those 3 options are the reality and I'm not sure why she thinks a local official has a magic bullet. Perhaps he could have said it in a kinder way but then perhaps it would not sink in.

- Jowo, UK, 19/10/2011 14:52
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"The father and mother are responsible for the housing, not the tax payer. Its about time this country realises that!"

And she is renting privately but asking for advice when the landlord wants to put the rent up! She is NOT, repeat, Not asking for a council home.

What alternative do you suggest? The workhouse? Prostitution?

- Claire, London, 19/10/2011 14:44
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I think calling the Tories the NASTY Party is not appropriate or fitting.
.
They should be called The PASTRY Party - as they are Flakey , suffer from Obesity and and Quickly Go Stale and become Unpalatable. Not nice at all.

- J B Blackett, Hendon, 19/10/2011 14:41
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Normal girl says "if you do not drag yourself up by your boot straps to get a job and work hard to better yourself, then of course you will never earn decent money. "

This woman is studying part time so she can also look after her child instead of putting him into care. Then when the part time study is over she might be able to get a better paid job that the one she's currently qualified or experienced for. Isn't that what people are supposed to do in order to improve their life chances?

Maybe she should have looked into her crystal ball and realised that a) her child would have learning difficulties and b) her partner would leave her and c) she wouldn't be able to get a well-paid job without further education.

I guess it is all her fault for not being psychic! But she is trying to improve her lot without calling on the public purse.

And yes, it's surely in the remit of a local councillor to offer some advice - like the local citizen's advice centre for instance. He could have offered to write to the landlord asking him not to put the rent up (it has been known to happen) but clearly the councillor's sympathies are with the landlord...

- Claire, London, 19/10/2011 14:40
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Typical Tory. S*d you, I'm all right.
Cameron must be proud of him.

- Michael Boughton-Fox, Cambridge England, 19/10/2011 14:40
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The father and mother are responsible for the housing, not the tax payer. Its about time this country realises that!

- Mike, London, 19/10/2011 14:31
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I bet Coleman loves the current situation. He can peer down his nose at all the poor people.
He also loves to make up his own rules and try to ban the public from public council meetings.
Also he thinks nothing of approving a 300% hike in parking charges.
And yet some people will still vote for him!!!!

- Uncle Paulie, London UK, 19/10/2011 14:13
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why is she a part-time student if she has a child? Am sorry but I absolutely agree with the letter's response. Live in the real world if you cannot afford ot have children dont! If you lose your job after you havea child, then find another but do not start studying building upmore debt! The selfishness of people is beyond!

- Paul, London, 19/10/2011 14:09
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I'm sorry but what was the point of the letter?

Should i write to my local councillor everytime i negotiate my rent? If she was writing about a broader politcal point however i could sympathise.

Councils refuse planning permission for new house building then look shocked when their housing benefit bills rocket as rents keeep rising...

- Tenant, London, 19/10/2011 14:07
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Surely she could turn to child's father for funding, or even consider giving the father custody so she can continue her studies?

- Bob, Cheam, 19/10/2011 13:59
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"I am afraid you have to live in the real world where the country has no money"

If the country has "no money", as this lying oaf Coleman says, how comes he's got 3 separate taxpayer funded jobs?

Why don't you give up 2 of those jobs Brian, so we can get 2 people off the dole?

- John Smith, London, EUSSR, 19/10/2011 13:47
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I can't believe some of the comments I'm reading here. What has her situation got to do with the matter?

The story here is that she is experiencing difficulty, asks her elected representative for help and advice and gets neither - only a rude and curt response. She did not make any demands, such as a council house that some people seem to think she was asking for.

I think the fact that Mr. Coleman has refused to respond to the ES speaks louder than his words.

people jump to conclusions when they hear the words 'single', 'mother' and 'jobless'. Get over it. Sometimes relationships don't work. Sometimes fathers neglect their duties (although no indication in this case) and we've just had the worst jobless figures for 17 years. If you're living in prividge, it does not give you the right to look down your nose at others. Those that do should be ashamed of themselves.

- Brixtonite, Brixton, London, Albion., 19/10/2011 13:46
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you wonder how pigs like coleman get elected

- john lowe, london, 19/10/2011 13:39
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Let us not forget that Brian Coleman lives in subsidised accommodation in a flat from Finchley Methodist Church.

- Liz, Barnet, 19/10/2011 13:35
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Well! Well! Brings back memories of the Darling of the Tory Party Dame well ex still Lady (via Tesco) Shirley Porter, the central figure in the "homes for votes" corruption scandal.
The Tories love inflated prices & rents; I think its right down to the core of their bones to look down their noses on those who are not in the affluent league. Boris is No leader, so would he ever help to chastise this person..No!
The reality is the sheep clothing dropping off the backs of the Tory wolves!

- Jamie, London, England, 19/10/2011 13:35
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Why isn't she working???

- margaretw, London, 19/10/2011 13:29
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In response to “Normal Girl” the Article clear says that Ms Osman is a part time student and so clearly is trying to improve her situation. Equally the correspondence also states that she wants to avoid having to apply for council housing and so it seems she does not want to be a burden on the state. What she was doing was asking an elected official, someone who is there to support us, for some guidance about how best for her to resolve her own situation. Mr Coleman was clearly too quick to judge and like “normal Girl” did not read the information he had in front of him. That an elected representative can act with such uncaring rudeness I find despicable and the conservative party should really think about disciplining one of its representatives who clearly has no time for the people who put him where he is.

- Douglas, Bucks, 19/10/2011 13:28
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Think he was being honest, people should live in the real world and stop trying to get handouts. Why the fact that Colman earns £120k is irreverent after all we don't know how much the ES editor earns

- Bob, London, 19/10/2011 13:26
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If theat child has learning difficultis then what the hell is she doing part-time studies for?

She needa a full time job not scrouging off benefits. Another sickening "I beat my chest" victim of a single mum.

People are getting sick to death of this "I suffer more" rubbish!

- Colin from Colindale, Colindale - London, 19/10/2011 13:19
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Why does someone's salary have anything to do with this? OK so she's a single mother. Why on earth does this automatically make her someone who should get a council house.

This is exactly what we are meant to be putting the brakes on. I agree private rent is unbelievably expensive in London. I struggle. So do most people.

If you can't afford kids don't have them. Ask the father to help. If he isn't then there are authorities that chase it up. Don't scrounge from the rest of us. Go out and get a job. That kid is old enough to be in school.

There are plenty of part time jobs going. All my mum is doing in her typical high street retail shop is serving Eastern Europeans who are having no trouble getting employment. The only ones struggling are the English.

- Lou, London, 19/10/2011 13:08
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There's no money but we can afford to give billions away in foreign aid ....

- Jesus, London, 19/10/2011 13:04
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I don't get it, what was she expecting him to do? Did she want him to enter into negotiation with her landlord? God know know much we'd need to pay him if every private tenant in Barnet wanted that service from the council. Or is he expected to pay the up-tick for them all from his salary? Did she want an immediate offer of a council house? Why contact the council at all about a private matter and then bitch when he can't help? Oooooh, hurt feelings. Can you sue for that?

Perhaps I'm being harsh but I happen to agree with the guy. Grow up and deal with your own problems. If more people in this country did so we wouldn't be in half as much mess.

This really is not a story.

- Rachelle, London, 19/10/2011 12:51
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While I think his response is disgraceful and also that her landlord is taking advantage, why is she not working? It's all well and good to get angry at people earning substantial salaries, but if you do not drag yourself up by your boot straps to get a job and work hard to better yourself, then of course you will never earn decent money. I feel I can say this with some authority, as I come from a single parent home and grew up in poverty (my bedroom was an outbuilding and my mother chose never to claim benefits because it was against her beliefs to take handouts, which I respect her for) and I have dragged myself up from this and now earn a decent salary in the City, but no one has helped me get there, it took pure hard work!

- Normal girl, London, 19/10/2011 12:50
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Brian Coleman, as a key Boris aide, needs to be questioned about his views on housing.

The Government could do a lot to help the London Housing Crisis but chooses to do nothing. It could regulate rents, reform short term tenancies, build more houses, reform stamp duty, tax capital gains, and removed cut tax breaks from buy to let landlords.

The Mayor for London could also facilitate house building, by finding sites, pushing local authorities to do more, and lobbying government. We have a lot of hot air from Boris but no real action.

The reality is that the Conservatives want property prices and rent to be artificially high, as they are only interested in the wealthy and not ordinary people. We have a classic case of vested interests making millions of ordinary people suffer.

- Jon, Twickenham, 19/10/2011 12:48
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yeh well MP's put us all in this situation and cos they are so rich they dont give a F+++...vote UKIP

- Old ben, EUSSR, 19/10/2011 12:46
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I am a Conservative and hugely supportive of Boris Johnson. Just how long will Boris and the Leader of Barnet Council put up with these outbursts that, in my view, bring the Conservative Party into disrepute and cost it thousands of votes?

Once Coleman's quirky outspokenness was seen as funny and an electoral asset, now his stuffy, old fashioned 'Marie Antoinette' - let them eat cake - attitude strikes such a discordant note to the modern Conservative Party David Cameron leads.

- Daniel Hope, Barnet, 19/10/2011 12:37
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They are not called the NASTY party for nothing.

- dave, london, 19/10/2011 12:36
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