A couple whose young daughter is receiving palliative care have accused their local council of effectively allowing her to deteriorate while awaiting rehousing.
Corlett and Daniel Bridge occupy a Brighton & Hove City Council property in Buckley Close, Portslade with their two-year-old girl Dempsey, who has a rare heart defect and urgently requires heart and lung transplants to remain alive.
When mould was found in their home, the council pledged to move the family to temporary accommodation within two weeks while longer-term council housing was arranged.
Seven weeks on, the family continues to occupy the same flat.
The mother said the council keeps stating it cannot find anything appropriate. While she acknowledges the housing crisis, she feels officials are simply allowing her daughter to deteriorate.
Dempsey was born in September 2023 with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, a serious condition where the right side of the heart does not develop correctly during pregnancy.
Her mother describes her as a miracle child after she was initially not expected to survive beyond her first weeks.
The toddler needs oxygen assistance and is on the waiting list for a dual heart and lung transplant.
The family moved into the council home in April 2024 and were initially satisfied with the standard of the property.
Following the emergence of mould throughout the property, the council’s damp and mould experts assessed the flat approximately six weeks ago. They identified insufficient ventilation and advised that the household should be moved elsewhere.
The mother explained that the only airflow in the flat comes from opening windows, yet because of her daughter’s condition, leaving windows open is not possible as she could become dangerously cold.
The council told her they would be placed in temporary accommodation within one to two weeks, yet seven weeks later no move has materialised.
Dempsey relies on specialist medical teams based in Southampton, Worthing and Portslade, all of whom have objected to her being removed from the area. This effectively leaves the family unable to consider any relocation the council may arrange.
Corlett has fibromyalgia, a long-term illness causing widespread pain. As a result, Daniel cares for both his wife and daughter full-time.
The 34-year-old mother-to-be wants the council to arrange more suitable long-term housing for the family.
She stated she is not worried about the disruption to herself and her husband, but repeatedly moving Dempsey would be harmful to her wellbeing and they cannot be separated from her specialist medical team.
The landlord will not carry out any improvements to the property until the family vacates, leaving them stuck in accommodation that is damaging their health.
Councillor Gill Williams, the council’s housing portfolio holder, said the authority cannot comment on the specific circumstances of individuals and families it supports.
She explained more generally that the council has a statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation to households facing homelessness or urgent need. Such accommodation is intended to be short-term, with placements dependent on what is available at the time.
When concerns are raised about accommodation conditions, specialist officers evaluate these situations. Where damp or mould poses a health risk, particularly to children, the council considers whether moving the household to alternative accommodation is required.
The authority strives to provide alternative properties when possible, but housing supply is extremely constrained and it cannot always meet preferences about location. When properties are offered and declined, the council continues working with households to identify other possibilities and manage expectations appropriately.
The council remains committed to supporting households in difficult circumstances and to securing safe, permanent accommodation for people as swiftly as the available housing supply permits.