A single-father who has taken on the role of a full time carer for his elderly grandmother says he facing homelessness.

Michael Dore and his 12-year-old son say they are living every day in fear of being evicted from their home in Chingford.

The tenancy on their property in Kings Road ran out last month, but the council has stopped his housing benefits so he is unable to find a new home.

Mr Dore claims his benefit has been stopped seven or eight times in the last year.

He says reasons given by the council include phone numbers on the paperwork not being correct and documentation sent by email should not have been accepted by administration staff.

Mr Dore, who cares for his grandmother with Alzheimer's after his father died in June, said that he feels helpless after repeatedly having to send of letters of confirmation in an attempt to get the vital benefit reinstated.

He said: “I moved here in 2013 and two weeks later I was made redundant.

“I was given housing benefit while I looked for another job. The first time they stopped my money was because they wanted me to prove my son lived with me.

“I did that. Then they said they shouldn’t have accepted the initial documents because they were sent by email and not in paper format."
Mr Dore then became a carer for his grandmother after his father died after a long illness.

“I haven’t even had time to grieve," he said.

“My Nan asks me every day when my dad is coming home. 

"The facts of the matter are that I am entitled to the housing benefit and I need it. Rather than stopping my money all the time they could give me a period of time to get the paperwork to them – I have never said no.

“The council seems happy to put my 12-year-old son and I on the street.”

Mr Dore claims that he has been told by the council that he will have to wait until he is removed from the house by bailiffs before he can request emergency housing.

The council has been asked to comment.