Star date: 23rd October 2017

SHOCKING INDICTMENT OF UNFAIR WELFARE SYSTEM

'For the first time in his life he became a priority...'

Pat Mullen was homeless for over twenty years and, as a single man with drug and alcohol issues, was always bottom of the list for housing. Because of his chaotic circumstances, Pat became ill and recently had to have a leg amputated. Only then could he get somewhere to live, as, for the first time in his life, he became a priority...

"If he hadn't had a leg amputated he would still be on the streets" says his brother, John "...No-one is listening."

Full details here...

"If I'd had a place of my own maybe it wouldn't have been as bad..." Pat

A cruel welfare system has resulted in a Salford man, who was homeless for around twenty years, only getting somewhere to live after he had a leg amputated.

Pat Mullen, a former bassist in a punk band, had alcohol and drug issues and, as a result, spent time in jail for affray and even more years sleeping rough in derelict buildings like Monks Hall or sofa surfing at friends. It was a chaotic lifestyle and one where help from those agencies that were supposed to help was just not forthcoming.

"I've been trying to help Patrick for two decades" says his brother, John "It's been hard, frustrating...an uphill battle. I'm afraid the system somehow fails single males in terms of priority and stuff like that. He was never a priority. When I've spoken to the agencies they describe him as problematic, which I read as 'he's difficult to deal with, so they'd rather not'...

"Patrick is smart when he puts his mind to it but he gets easily frustrated when turned down by the system, and when that happens he vocalises it and perhaps says things that they don't want to hear and are probably inappropriate" he adds "But at the end of the day they are not recognising the issues and difficulties he's got, and, for me, that's the key...they don't see him as vulnerable, whereas I do. I see my brother as vulnerable, living on the street for twenty years; I don't even know how he survived this long."

John, who is also a councillor for Barton, highlights all the issues that homelessness organisations have been citing for years – a cycle of applying to get on the housing list, getting kicked off for technicalities, like not bidding when he didn't have access to technology... "It's frustration that drives you nuts" he says.

"The reason people use drugs and alcohol is because their lives are so bad, that is a fact of life" explains Alec McFadden of the Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre (SUCRC) in Eccles, who has been working to help Pat for a number of years.

Pat's issues landed him in prison for five years for affray, and then another bout of homelessness that meant he didn't take the medication he was supposed to take, which, in turn, led to him losing a leg.

"If I'd had a place of my own maybe it wouldn't have been as bad" Pat says "I tried my best but they even took my name off the housing list at one time. I said 'I've got medication I have to take every morning, and if I don't I end up shocking out and people phone ambulances and everything'. You'd think that would be a priority but no. I didn't take my tablets.

"I didn't get much help off them regarding my situation" he adds "I needed a place – I even walked to Swinton housing and said 'I want back on the list' but they didn't want anything to do with me. They treat people unkindly. It's an unfair system and they don't look at people the way they should."

Ironically, related to neglect by the authorities, Pat losing a limb has meant that he became a priority for housing, and he now has a flat near Salford Precinct which he moved into last week. It's a horrible price to pay...

"If he hadn't had a leg amputated he would still be on the streets, there's no doubt in my mind because no-one is listening" says John "There's an epidemic of single people on the streets and they are refusing to deal with it.

"Local government is stuck for cash but it's national governments of any flavour too; they all should think twice" he adds "Only Andy Burnham has changed things around and made it a priority...but I don't think even he knew how bad it was on the streets for people.

"The sad thing is that Patrick is not alone" he argues "There are many, many, like him out there and it can't continue. Someone's got to listen, realise there is a problem, accept it and start making policies to deal with it.

"Things happen in people's lives and they go off the rails and, whatever their personal story is, the system dumps them out on the streets" he adds "Recovering from that position is incredibly difficult, and therein lies the problem - when you fall down, picking yourself up is not easy in this society and it relies on the goodwill of organisations like SUCRC and charities because local governments and national government are just not dealing with it. I think now they've realised it is a big issue and the tide is turning. Patrick's story is ending hopefully on a positive note. He's got his own place after twenty years.

"Of course I'm disgusted by it all" he says "I've never wanted anything bad happen to my brother. I thought in my mind the worse thing would be where I'd get that call saying he's been found dead in a doorway or something, that's the moment I dread. When I got the call from Manchester Royal that's the first thing that flashed through my mind. I was distraught to see that this has happened; angry with him because I wish he could have changed his life; but he's my brother, I accept him as he is and try and work with him to change things."

Meanwhile, after helping Pat over the last six years as part of the Centre's Prison Project and Breakfast Club, this latest episode has shocked SUCRC's Alec McFadden...

"Losing a leg is a massive issue in someone's life and it's going to be a massive change for Pat but the thought that they were going to put him on the streets with one leg was ridiculous" he explains "The hospital were really good but said he couldn't stay there forever. We led the campaign to make sure that he was looked after properly and that he got a house that was adjusted to his situation, and that's a big victory...

"...But" he adds "When I spoke to the hospital last week and said we were on the verge of success, they said 'What about all the other ones?'...I said 'What do you mean?'. She said 'This is not an unusual situation'. I was naive, I didn't realise this. There's a lot of people homeless who have had limbs amputated; what an indictment for our society!

"What is sad is that for the first time in Pat's life he became a priority – and we've got to make sure that his story is everywhere because that is the price" Alec insists "The moral of the story is that we've got to end homelessness completely and use this as an example to strengthen the campaign."

Pat's homelessness has ended but there are a whole new set of problems, like dealing with incapacity benefits...

"We've got him a sick note for two weeks but he now needs his own doctor because there will be benefit tests and they'll say Pat's fit for work with one leg" says Alec "I'm currently doing a case for a guy who has no legs who's failed the test. That's what we're dealing with; it's probably the most inhumane government in the history of this country."

John agrees... "It's another chapter" he says "If this story changes something for one person it's worth it. Already we've got a whole minefield in front of us...I've now got to work on everything coming together around Patrick because I want him to start to live; I want him to come to the centre, do music, get involved with computers, make sure he's there for appointments when the physios and nurses come in. It's a whole new ball game and a whole new level of frustration...but if we can get it all together he'll get a new life, so it's been worth all the work...."