My dad is Fleetwood Mac legend who made millions but I’m stuck living on the STREET with no money after he abandoned me
THE SON of a Fleetwood Mac legend is living on the streets after being abandoned by his dad.
Liam Firlej, 38, started sleeping in a tent outside Richmond Station, in south-west London, three months ago.
He had become unable to pay his rent due to nursing costs for his grandmother – who raised him.
Peter Green, who founded Fleetwood Mac, never recognised Liam as his son before his death in 2020 – while his mum, Janina, suffered from mental health problems.
Liam told MyLondon: “When you’re homeless your pride is non-existent.
“Your pride is completely diminished. You have no pride anymore. It’s dead, it doesn’t exist.
“You can’t feel good about yourself. I just feel numb all the time.”
“That’s when you don’t care about yourself, you self-destruct. You just hate yourself and start drinking.
“If you’re ever homeless it takes about three weeks and then your mind switches into a totally different state.
“Then you just don’t give a f**k anymore about anything. But I’m used to it now.”
Despite his dad’s abandonment, the former care worker said he had inherited Peter’s musical genes.
He said: “I’m a musician just like my father, I can play multiple instruments. It’s in the blood.”
He added that he had chosen Richmond to pitch up his tent as it was safer than central London, where violence and drug use are common.
He also said that people were generally kind to him in Richmond, adding: “They know me around here. Some people also give me money because of my father.”
Liam was born and bred in south-west London – and has spent time living in Kingston, Clapham and Richmond.
He joined the Army at a young age, but quit in 2003 due to his opposition to the Iraq War.
He then worked various jobs in manufacturing, before becoming a support worker at Brixton Night Shelter.
The deserted son said he had experienced homelessness before – but not like this.
He initially sought refuge at a hostel in Tooting, but ran away after he was held hostage by another resident who threatened to attack him unless he handed over all his money.
He continued: “I’m really trying to get housed, but it’s impossible at the moment. The caseworkers did house me in a few places, they’ve all been awful.
Homelessness help
HERE is some useful information if you are homeless or know someone who is experiencing homelessness.
FIRST CONTACT
If you or someone you know is sleeping rough you can use the alert Streelink service to help connect them with outreach services: www.thestreetlink.org.uk/start
FOOD
You can find free food stations via:
The Pavement – for food and soup runs: www.thepavement.org.uk/services
Homeless Link – for day centres: www.homeless.org.uk
The Trussell Trust – for food banks: www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/
Food Cycle – for food services – www.foodcycle.org.uk/free-food-locations/
HOUSING
Councils have a duty to help people who are homeless or facing homelessness. Contact the Housing Options team from the council you have a local connection to and see if they can offer:
- Emergency accommodation – a place in a shelter or a hostel
- Longer-term accommodation including independent or social housing
Visit: www.gov.uk/find-local-council
During times of severe cold or heat, local councils have special accommodation known as Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). Find out more here: www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
For advice, support or legal services related to housing visit www.shelter.co.uk or call 0808 800 4444.
You can also contact Crisis: www.crisis.org.uk/get-help/
For housing advice, call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or visit: www.shelter.org.uk.
DAY CENTRES
Day centres can help by providing internet access, free or cheap food, shower and laundry facilities, safe storage for belongings, phone charging and clothes, toiletries or sleeping bags.
They can also help with services for benefits or immigration advice; health support; finding work; educational or social activities; hostel, night shelter or outreach referrals.
Centres can be found through Homeless Link: www.homeless.org.uk/
BENEFITS
Normally you can claim Universal Credit if you are sleeping on the streets or staying in a hostel. If you are in a hostel, you can claim Housing Benefit to help with rent. You do not need a fixed address or a bank account.
USEFUL CONTACTS
Crisis – visit: www.crisis.org.uk or call 0300 636 1967.
Shelter – visit: www.shelter.org.uk or call 0808 800 4444.
Centrepoint (for people aged 16-25) – visit: www.centrepoint.org.uk or call 0808 800 0661.
St Mungo’s (Bath, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Christchurch, Leicester, Oxford, Poole and Reading) – visit: www.mungos.org or call 020 3856 6000.
Depaul UK (for young people) – visit: https://www.depaul.org.uk/ or call 0207 939 1220.
Citizen’s Advice (legal advice) – visit: www.citizensadvice.org.uk or call 0345 404 0506.
The Samaritans (health and wellbeing) – www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan or call 116 123.
“”In one place a man downstairs was smashing the walls with his fists constantly, and in another there was black mould coupled with constant shouting from the flat above.
“I housed five people when I was a support worker in good places. But I’ve had nothing that’s acceptable.”
Liam added that his three-year-old daughter was the only thing stopping him from taking his own life.
He said: “I miss her so much all the time, she means the world to me. I just want to look after her, I don’t want to be on the street.
“If it weren’t for her I would’ve killed myself already. Just to get out of this sh*tty life. But I’ve got to keep on going for her. It’s so hard.”
The devoted dad said he managed to visit his daughter several times a week at her west London home – and that he still had a good relationship with her mother.
Peter Green founded the universally-acclaimed rock band Fleetwood Mac in 1967 but quit three years later due to drug and mental health problems.
He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The music legend was himself homeless for a period, before passing away at his home in Canvey Island, Essex, in 2020.
If you need help, contact Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
Peter Green's will
Peter Green passed away in 2020 after battling drugs and mental health problems. The music legend left £4.5 million behind - but who did he leave it to?
There is no mention of Liam Firlej in Peter’s will.
He left a quarter of his estate to daughter Rosebud Green, who lives in the US – but only if she can prove she is his biological daughter.
His reasons for doubting whether Rosebud is his daughter, who he shared with ex-wife Jane Samuels, were unclear – but have been put down to his mental health struggles at the time of writing the will.
Peter left a gross estate of £4,847,463 but this was reduced to £4,593,341 after his debts were paid.
In 2017, Liam proved that he was Peter’s biological son following a High Court DNA case.