Angela Rayner Condemns System Failures After Homeless London Woman Tragically Takes Her Own Life

The tragic death of Joanita Nalubowa, a 34-year-old alleged victim of domestic abuse who took her own life on Christmas Day 2020, has prompted the Deputy Prime Minister to call for urgent reforms in housing and mental health support. Angela Rayner MP described the system’s failure to meet Joanita’s needs as “unacceptable,” citing a coroner’s report that highlighted severe shortcomings.

Joanita had been living in Stockton, near Middlesbrough, far from her support network in London. After divorcing her ex-partner, whom she accused of abuse, she expressed a strong desire to stay in London where her family could provide support. However, local authorities rejected her housing applications in London, adhering strictly to legal criteria.

Facing the prospect of returning to Stockton, an area where she felt unsafe, Joanita told authorities she would “rather die than return to Middlesbrough.” Tragically, after being informed she would be sent back against medical advice, she ended her life at St Pancras Hospital, according to My London.

Inner North London coroner Harry Lambert emphasized that securing appropriate housing near her support network was “paramount” to Joanita’s mental health. Despite this, he found that council officers and clinicians were “powerless” due to rigid legal frameworks, which he said left Joanita in a vulnerable position.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner responded to the coroner’s findings, stating: “It appears that at a crucial time, Ms. Nalubowa’s needs were not met and that the system failed and let her down. From the evidence provided, it appears that these frameworks failed Ms. Nalubowa in practice.”

Rayner criticized local authorities for not exercising discretion and called for changes to ensure domestic abuse victims are prioritized in housing allocations. “I will be writing to the local authorities concerned to remind them of their statutory duties. I will reiterate my expectation that local authorities should place a high level of importance on using the discretion available to them when assessing applications for homelessness support or social housing, particularly for vulnerable people such as Ms. Nalubowa.”

The government has pledged to amend social housing policies to prioritize victims of domestic abuse and review discharge processes under a new Mental Health Bill introduced in November. Rayner added that the Homelessness Code of Guidance should be applied with “a low standard of proof” in domestic abuse cases to ensure victims are protected.

Joanita’s death serves as a stark reminder of the barriers domestic abuse victims face when seeking safety. Rayner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to halving violence against women and girls within a decade, emphasizing that “nobody should feel afraid in their own home.”

For those struggling with mental health, resources such as Samaritans (116 123) and CALM (0800 58 58 58) are available for support.