Sorry, this video isn't available any more.

A severely disabled man is facing eviction from his family home after the sudden death of his brother.

John and Carl McKay both have severe cerebral palsy and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome but lived together in Moreton, Merseyside with the support of carers.

John, 33, was left devastated when his brother Carl died suddenly after a brief bout of sepsis aged just 28.

The family’s grief was aggravated when within hours of Carl’s death they were allegedly told by Wirral Council that John faced eviction as his benefits would not cover the costs alone.


Their third brother Damien said John ‘cries himself to sleep each night’ as he misses his brother so much.

John, left, is distraught over the loss of his brother Carl (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

Damien, from Wirral, Merseyside, said: ‘They were more than brothers, they were best friends. Carl’s death has left a big hole in our family.



‘This has left John vulnerable now. He’s in the house grieving.

‘He cries himself to sleep each night. Every time we go to see him the first thing he says is that he misses Carl.

‘Every night, they used to say ‘good night John’ or ‘goodnight Carl’ to each other, then in the mornings they’d say something cheeky or crack a joke together.’

Damien is hoping to fundraise £20,000 so John can stay in the home where he has memories of his beloved brother for the next two years.

To show the ‘inseparable’ pair’s bond, Damien has released a tear-jerking video that shows John and Carl singing Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud on webcam.

The pair were ‘inseparable’ and their flat holds a lot of memories (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

He said: ‘They both sung a lot on the webcam. It was because they enjoyed singing and technology. They both loved to make people happy and to have a good time.

‘John has made it clear he wants to stay in the home because he’s settled there and he’s got memories.

‘Carl wouldn’t accept what was happening to John now. He would tell social services straight. It’s been a nightmare.’

Carl died suddenly after developing sepsis at the beginning of June, spending just two days in hospital.

The family said that on the morning of the second day, Damien was first contacted by social services informing him that Carl’s care package had been cut even before he died.

The brothers have been best friends since childhood (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

The family has said the council have lacked empathy over Carl’s death (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

A matter of hours after Carl’s death, Damien claims the subject of John’s care being cut and losing his home was brought up.

Damien said social services told John he could no longer afford to stay in the flat, even though he was settled there.

He added: ‘Apparently all the staff were sent an email at 9am the morning before saying they were cutting their package to only one carer.

‘The woman on the phone lacked empathy and didn’t even say ‘sorry for your loss’. It was straight to the point.’

He said social services were ‘hassling’ John about moving out within a week of Carl’s death, despite early reassurances that the family would be given a year to grieve.

The family said the council had cut Carl’s care even before he died (Picture: Kennedy News and Media)

Damien added: ‘He’s not being treated like a human being. He’s not even treated like a baby.

‘They just see the money. They’ve got a detachment from the whole thing. They just see it as figures and stats instead of the whole person.’



A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: ‘We are deeply sorry to hear of Mr McKay’s loss.

‘We are supporting Mr McKay, and will make sure he continues to receive the vital support he needs at this very difficult time.

‘Our adult care team are currently reviewing his case to guarantee John’s quality of care remains constant as he and his family recover, taking into consideration the fact that his brother’s care package is no longer in place.

‘We will ensure John and his family are involved in any key decisions around his accommodation and continued care and that their needs are fully taken into account.’