THE mother of the youngest soldier to be killed in Afghanistan is facing eviction from her family home because she refuses to use a death-in-service payment to pay her rent.

Lucy Aldridge lives on a disability allowance of just £16.80 after an appeal to restart her £307.80-a-month income support, which included housing benefit and council tax benefit, was declined.

Miss Aldridge, of Bredenbury, has now been given 10 to 14 days to notify her housing association whether she can pay the rent or face eviction.

She does not want to use money from the £66,000 death-in-service payment as Rifleman William Aldridge, who was killed in Helmand province on July 10, 2009 aged 18, wanted her to spend the money on his brothers George, aged seven, and Archie, five.

“I could lose everything all because of a decision to stop my benefits because my son was killed,” said Miss Aldridge.

“All my memories of my son are in this house; he only ever lived in this house.

“His name is on the village memorial and he is buried not too far away.

“I cannot continue the foundation I set up in his memory without an address to run it from.

“I have raised so much money in support of our Armed Forces, it’s the one positive focus in all of this, to make his life count for something.”

Miss Aldridge, aged 42, met with a housing officer last Tuesday who told her the association had decided not to apply any pressure over the Christmas period because they hoped her appeal would be successful but the situation has now changed.

She said: “My rent arrears are nearly £1,000 and if I can’t pay them they will serve an eviction notice.

“I have no other form of income therefore I’m not in a position to pay it.”

Miss Aldridge appealed a decision by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to stop her income support after they claimed the death-in-service payment contradicted her claim to benefits.

She is now taking her appeal to a tribunal but it could take five or six months for a date to be set.

Miss Aldridge said: “If I lose the tribunal I’ll be forced to use the death-in-service payment – I don’t believe William gave his life for that.

“I am being denied the right to honour my son’s wishes.”