In 2013, our neighbour asked us to visit him, he told us that he had terminal throat cancer and his wife had Alzheimer’s disease. He tried in vain to get his wife Dorcas into a care home however, his cancer was vicious and he died before he could get her into a home.

We promised Mr Gay during his final days that we would take care of his wife; he told us he could not ask us to do that, we told him he didn’t have to ask, we were offering our help. After his death, his friend who he had asked to be executor of his will told us that Dorcas’s will left their estate to her nephew in Australia (50%) and charity (50%). Our neighbours had no family to look after her as her sister was 91 and housebound.

My wife and I took on the caring role and we cared for Mrs Gay until she passed away two years later in 2015. We gave her an extra 2 years in her home. This period put a massive burden on my wife and me both emotionally and financially; we could not work due to caring for Dorcas so debts could not be serviced and in January 2015 I had to take out a debt relief order. Prior to doing this I discussed our situation with Emily, Dorcas’s sister and told her I would have to stop being primary carer and return to work.Emily promised she would include us in her will if we would continue to care for her sister. After carefully considering our situation, I agreed to continue as carer and took out a DRO on my debts.

We cleaned and cared for Dorcas 24 hours a day with no help from anyone. Despite knowing we were not in her will, my wife and me chose to care for her none the less – an act of which we are both very proud. We visited Dorcas 24 hours a day and did this religiously and although at times it drove us to despair; we knew she had no one and social services would not step in as they felt care was in place?

Mrs Gay finally succumbed to her illness in March 2015. We continued to phone Emily daily to check she was ok however after a fall in December 2016, she passed away. I returned to my career in June 2015. I knew we would not be able to buy our council house by means of a mortgage due to the DRO but was happy that Emily would see both me and my wife right in her will for caring for her sister.

To our surprise when probate was granted, the only beneficiaries in Emilys will were 2 friends who did not offer to help care for Mrs Gay once. My wife and me were distraught and are now in a position where we cannot get a mortgage.

Just 140,000 people pledging £1 will allow me and my wife to purchase our council house. I know this is a lot to ask but please help transform our lives after the most challenging 2 years of our lives.