I am a mother living in Sudbury, Suffolk with my two beautiful children. My youngest is a lively 8 month old girl, and my elder is a 3 year-old boy living with autism spectrum disorder and global development delay. We live in a top floor flat, devoid of a garden, a space earnestly needed by my son for his emotional regulation. I also suffer from back problems, further complicating our living situation and limiting my ability to provide for my children.

Currently, we wait inexorably on the council list for a chance at better living conditions, but progress is slow, if existent at all. My predicament is one shared by many within this community, trapped and restricted by a lack of council housing availability. To further exacerbate this issue, any available spaces are located miles away from our current support networks.

Housing stands as a fundamental human right, and yet, many of us in Sudbury remain bereft of suitable housing options. According to the Office for National Statistics, there was a sharp 9% decrease in local authority housing in England between 2009 and 2019. This decline has resulted in exacerbated housing problems, particularly for families with specific needs, like my own. We are not asking for special treatment, simply fair consideration.

We call on the local council to recognize and act upon this pressing need within our community. We urge you to increase the construction of council houses in Sudbury, Suffolk, thereby providing decent and adequate accommodation for us all. Please sign this petition to support us in changing the lives of the families waiting in desperate hope.