Homeless man's desperate battle to find somewhere to live

Torren Wade, 31, applied to Horsham District Council for housing help after having to leave Kingdom Faith Bible College in Faygate in July. He had lived there for a year but the college provides only fixed-term accommodation.

Torren, who has a part-time cleaning job in Horsham, has a number of health problems including Type 1 diabetes and Asperger’s syndrome.

Horsham Council arranged short-term accommodation for Torren at the Grange Hotel in Crawley, but he has now been told he must leave this week.

“The council are refusing to pay any more because they say I have made myself ‘intentionally homeless’,” said Torren. But, he maintains that is not the case. He moved to Horsham initially from Ipswich to attend the Faygate college.

He has been in touch with the homeless charity Shelter who have been providing help and advice. “But I don’t know what I am going to do now,” he said. “I haven’t got anywhere to go.”

Because of his diabetes, Torren needs to inject himself with insulin - which has to be stored in a fridge - four times a day.

A spokeswoman for Horsham District Council said that the council provided accommodation to those in need when prevention options are unsuccessful.

“In this case, following a thorough investigation of the reasons for the loss of his last settled accommodation the decision has been issued that he made himself intentionally homeless. If an application for assistance is unsuccessful Horsham District Council will continue to provide individuals with a reasonable period of accommodation and advice and assistance to individuals to secure alternative accommodation.”

Torren said he is now seeking help from Crawley’s MP Henry Smith.