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<\/p>\nA homeless woman has told how she’s sleeping rough and in limbo between the NHS and a council<\/p>\n
Olivia Hill, pictured in her tent(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n
A woman has told how she was given a tent and food vouchers by council staff after being told she’s not a ‘priority need’ for emergency housing. Olivia Hill, 33, says she was branded as ‘high risk’ for shared accommodation because of her mental health.<\/p>\n
And she claims she was also told by the NHS<\/a> she couldn’t be admitted to a hospital because she didn’t meet its criteria – leaving her in limbo and on the streets.<\/p>\n Ms Hill – who told the Manchester Evening News she has ‘severe’ and fluctuating mental health problems – is currently living in a tent on a grass verge in Glossop. She claims High Peak Borough Council initially suggested she pitch the tent she was given around Woodhead Reservoir, near Longdendale<\/a>.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter<\/strong><\/p>\n She said she’s been left feeling ‘broken and distraught’ – and has no money. Ms Hill said: “I don\u2019t meet mental health criteria despite having an extensive mental health history including borderline personality disorder.<\/p>\n She’s living rough in Glossop(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n “Now they\u2019ve left me with a tent and a food bag as I’m not a priority apparently for housing.<\/p>\n “The mental health team at the hospital won\u2019t admit me and the homeless team at the council won\u2019t house me because I\u2019m a mental health risk. I’m apparently not eligible for a house, but a tent on public land is fine.<\/p>\n “It is disgusting from the local council in my opinion. How they can say I am not vulnerable I have no idea.”<\/p>\n Ms Hill – who said she was a former registered nurse – became homeless at the start of the month having been living in Glossop with family. She said she spent time in a hostel in Manchester, then one in Cornwall, before returning to Glossop. She’s single with no children.<\/p>\n Ms Hill told the MEN she has complex mental health needs and has experienced ‘crises’.<\/p>\n She said she’s claiming benefits, the lowest amount of Universal Credit, but expects her benefits to be increased next month.<\/p>\n “I spent all my money on hostels and came back to Glossop with no money,” she said. “I applied to High Peak Borough Council and told them that I was homeless and vulnerable, and had no money. I also told them that I had had hospital stays.<\/p>\n Olivia says she’s been let down(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n “Two or three weeks ago I also asked to be admitted to hospital, but was told I do not meet an admission and needed to be managed in the community. They discharged me knowing that I was homeless.”<\/p>\n She made a homeless application on June 9.<\/p>\n In a document from the council Ms Hill shared with the Manchester Evening News, the council said she had been ‘issued with a not in priority need decision’. They said they would continue ‘with trying to relieve your homelessness as part of the ongoing relief duty which has yet to come to an end’.<\/p>\n The council, in its determination, said it was ‘not satisfied’ she was vulnerable ‘as defined’, and said it would be referring her to a housing association ‘for additional support in sourcing housing and placing bids for social housing’.<\/p>\n Ms Hill said she didn’t know when ‘ongoing duty relief’ would end. “Instead, they brought me a tent and a sleeping bag and apologised,” she said.<\/p>\n Olivia Hill, pictured in the tent(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n “The homeless team will not house me in a shared home because they believe I am too high-risk because of my mental health.”<\/p>\n Get MEN Premium now for just \u00a31 HERE<\/a> \u2013 or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_300626tent6.jpg\")
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