An interview with Felicity Sun and Ruth Cohen from Gingerbread, a one-parent family association on the housing difficulties facing single-parent families.

Felicity Sun, a counselor for Gingerbread and Ruth Cohen, the national groups coordinator for Gingerbread speak about a Fantasy Factory videotape they were shown on three one-parent families. Felicity remarked that these 3 lots of people happen to be single-parents which is rather irrelevant. It is more concerned with the present housing crisis. They are both frustrated that Gingerbread, a voluntary organisation, is handling national crises, including the housing crisis, that the government should be resolving. They note that their organisation can only give advice and information, but are unable to do more than that due to their resources and status.They note from the video that, “Those who shout the loudest are able to change their situation.” Whereas those who are less articulate and quiet are unable to reach services in the same way. They speak about the discrimination facing single-parent families looking for housing, as single-parent families receive less points that a two-parent family on the housing list despite the same needs. Felicity adds that B&Bs are a terrible solution and that it is better to squat than to subject a family to the unstable environment. Ruth adds that there should be sterner regulation regarding the use of empty property – governments should press local councils to take over empty properties.