But the treatment of a former soldier who served in Afghanistan could not be more different to that of a refugee and her family fleeing the same place.

Lance Corporal Craig Baker, 26, and his family have been refused a council house in his home town as 'he has no local connection'. 

 

 

Different treatment: L/Cpl Craig Baker and Agfhan refugee Toorpakai Saiedi (right)

Now the couple and their two young children are camping at his parents' three-bedroomed home in Bracknell, Berkshire  -  the house where L/Cpl Baker grew up.

His treatment is in stark contrast to that of an Afghan family who fled the Taliban and live on benefits as refugees, 30 miles away in London.

Mother-of-seven Toorpakai Saiedi, 37, was revealed to be living in a £1.2million seven-bedroom home in Acton, west London, which cost Ealing council £150,000 a year to rent.

Her son Jawad, said when the case was revealed two years ago said: 'When the council chose to put us here we did not say no.

‘If someone gave you a lottery jackpot would you leave it?'

The family had a 50in plasma TV, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and plush silk furnishings, and received £170,000 per year in handouts.

The former soldier decided to leave the Army to spend more time with his family

Yet they still moaned that they were too poor to afford Sky television.

L/Cpl Baker enlisted when he was 19 and has lived all over Britain while serving in the 3rd Regiment of the Army Air Corps.

In Afghanistan, he worked as an arming and loading point commander, preparing Apache helicopters for combat.

He also carried out foot patrols and worked as a guard.

Unable to find a property, the ex-serviceman has also been unable to find work. He was forced to sign up for the Jobseekers' Allowance

Now he has left the Army and is crammed with his family into the home of his parents, Trevor, 54, and Pauline, 55, and his 24-year-old brother.

L/Cpl Baker is forced to go out of the house during the day so his younger brother, who works night shifts, can sleep.

L/Cpl Baker said yesterday: 'I left the Army to spend time with my two boys. I am hoping to become a truck driver.

'Bracknell Forest Council has let us down from the start.

'We don't want any special treatment, we just want fair treatment and are not getting it.

‘We have tried to help ourselves and all we ask is for a little bit of help but they have turned their back on us.

'I believe this is partly due to incompetence and partly due to discrimination because I am an ex-soldier.

'I grew up in the area, my parents live in the area and my wife Anna is from the area.

‘But because I've lived in different military areas for short periods I am not "local" to anywhere.

'It's me, my wife and two children sleeping on an airbed in my parents' home. Life after leaving the Army is far from ideal.'

Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee said he has launched an investigation into Craig's case.

'I am happy to take up a case like this with the council, where someone has given service to this country,' he said.

Simon Hendey, chief officer of housing for Bracknell Forest Council, denied that Craig Baker was discriminated against because he was a soldier.

'Mr Baker and his family have not been disadvantaged because he has served with the Armed Forces.

‘We anticipate the family will be able find a permanent home which meets their needs by using the council's housing allocation system which both maximises choice for residents and ensures the most needy are housed first.'

The Coalition has promised it will strengthen councils' powers to set their own criteria over housing - including local connections - in proposed legislation to be unveiled this autumn.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314918/Soldier-served-Afghanistan-refused-council-house-local.html

Sept. 25, 2010