Disabilty and Housing

We didn't provide any proof. We applied to our landlord and to the council for a bungalow. The council assessed him and we were offered one after about 6 months. We were also on the list with our landlord for one.

I've just done this and I move next week

Firstly, speak to their housing officer and explain the problems. They'll send you a transfer application. Fill it in and put in medical evidence (a letter from doc saying they support a move on health grounds will help too). I enclosed a covering letter explaining how my independence was compromised, my daughter's quality of life had decreased and that the risks to my health were exacerbated by my current housing situation.

I was put as a Band B for transfer. Then I applied for to the local council with the same gumph. They put me in the lowest band I was about to appeal it, when an ideal property came up and I've had to jump through hoops to get it, but I get the keys next week. I'll admit I've been very lucky, but it's only taken me 3 months to get a new property.

Could be worth looking at HomeSwapper too, it was no good for me (people were shocked at my rent, it's priced at near on market value and double everyone else's in the neighbouring villages) but people are successful on there.

Have a look at the council and the HA banding criteria also, as this will help you pitch the information correctly. Good luck xx

I am in a similar situation at the moment, I am registered disabled since spinal surgery last year and my problems are not improving. I live in a first floor flat and the stairs are a real problem for me. I spoke to the council and they told me that I will have to go on the bidding register to find somewhere more suitable but that as I am 35 I cannot have a bungalow and as I have a son over the age of 11 (he is 15) I cannot have a garden. They told me I can literally only bid on ground floor flats with no garden, then went on to say that because of this I will probably be waiting for a property for well over a year at the least.
I really don't know what to do next

It's hard to imagine that there are many people with higher needs that than, GlasweJen!

Whether or not you get what you want be it ground floor or otherwise often depends on which area of the country you live in, put simply it was always acute, there is, has always been, and an increasing demand for these type of adjustments.

A 20,000 dwelling HA might have 100 if you are lucky, none of them vacant / voids. Ageing population. Prioritised bidding. Armed forces covenant. Choice based lettings, all conspire to make such dwellings almost never available. There are only three reasons such preference dwellings come up - death of the tenant, move closer to family, and escape at any cost from a bad area. Which suggests that even if one were to become available its potentially going to be in an area where no one would wish to live regardless of its accessibility.

In Jen's case for priority banding, points & fire come to mind, as in .. .. .. escape ! .. .. bit of a long shot - try it. OT assessment & Social Services have already been mentioned, worth noting that many area's in the UK still have a [DPHS/R] Disabled Person's Housing Services/Register, see if they can help, but its always going to be between difficult and impossible.