16 year old nephew landed on us

zappster1966

mariacallous wrote: »

We tried to do that already and he had an interview but their decision was "no" as "severe hardship" only counts if you are estranged from all members of your family, not just parents. If we evict him they will take it from there but while he is living here and I am his blood aunt, he cannot get anything and neither can we unless he is at college or gets a job. It looks like we have to evict him or just find the way of paying for him until things change.

If that's the reason they gave they're just wrong. Estrangement is only from parents, who he lives with & how he's being supported are important but the blood relative thing is, well, nonsense to be honest. It's not codified anywhere.

What does matter, however, is the amount of support that you as his Auntie are prepared to offer him.

See, and this is no criticism, but if you go into the interview with the mindset which says "refuse to pay and well, we'll get by somehow" you won't get anywhere fast. You need to be incredibly blunt with the Jobcentre. You can't afford to keep him, you can't give him money, you can't feed him & unless they cough up he's out on his a**. And it'll be happening as soon as they make a nil decision, at which point he becomes the responsibility of them, Social Services & the Housing Dept.

Although I'm wondering if you're maybe past the Severe Hardship thing, apols for the suggestion, I didn't know you'd already been through it. You can reapply though with a more firm attitude, see if that might work, but it's a mighty palaver if you're already at your wits end.

Just playing with ideas really to see what might be workable for you. But I'm at a total loss now. Only other option I can see is him going sick & claiming Employment Support Allowance, but given that you haven't mentioned he's unwell that's a non starter too.

I am terribly sorry I can't be of much more help. Hope things work out for you *hugs*

Bogof_Babe

I think the overcrowding aspect is the one to tackle them with. Even foster children have to have their own bedroom, separate from any other children who are being fostered, even if the same sex.

I'm sure it is not actually legal to have someone else's child living with you without having their own room.

Oldernotwiser

baza52 wrote: »

He HAD to leave home? did you son have to leave too?

Sorry to be unclear; our son and our foster son are the same person. He spent most of his life with us and we thought of him as ours rather than just as a foster placement. He had to leave home because of his violence towards us.

Oldernotwiser

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I think the overcrowding aspect is the one to tackle them with. Even foster children have to have their own bedroom, separate from any other children who are being fostered, even if the same sex.

I'm sure it is not actually legal to have someone else's child living with you without having their own room.

That might be the case with a formal foster placement arrangement made by Social Services, but that's not the case here.

Oldernotwiser

Have you asked Connexions about Entry to Employment (E2E) courses? These are usually rolling courses and are often not based in colleges. He'd certainly be eligible for EMA on this and could then start college in September.

mvengemvenge

mariacallous wrote: »

We tried to do that already and he had an interview but their decision was "no" as "severe hardship" only counts if you are estranged from all members of your family, not just parents. If we evict him they will take it from there but while he is living here and I am his blood aunt, he cannot get anything and neither can we unless he is at college or gets a job. It looks like we have to evict him or just find the way of paying for him until things change.

This is wrong. I know many under 18's who live with relatives and claim hardship. As someone else said, you just need to make it clear you can't keep supporting him.

Pitlanepiglet

OP, I think what you've done is fab....well done you.

Practically, do you know anyone else who could have your nephew? What about a locally family? From what others have said he might then be able to claim something?

mummytofour

jembie wrote: »

When my sister was 16 she was put on a scheme through the job centre where she would get JSA but she had to do a work placement in a charity shop.

Our parents died when she was 13 and I was a 24 yr old widow with a toddler and a baby. Our 20 yr old sister tried hard to be a mother and a father to her but it was difficult. I took them in for 2 years but as she got older I couldn't cope with her any longer and it didn't seem fair for her to go on sharing a room with her baby nephew.

We were advised that there was a local housing project for 16-25s and she got a placement in one of their shared houses. She did have to move a couple of times due to the errrm shall we say undesirable housemates but she made some good friends and the independence was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Incidentally she is now the deputy manager of the charity shop where she was sent on her work placement and she is fantastic at her job

OMG well done you it sounds like you worked really hard in an amazingly hard situation. But an even bigger well done to you little sis who really has shown how somebody can turn their life around. x

bestpud

The blood relative thing is rubbish as our son moved in with my sister for a while, and she claimed child benefit and tax credits for him, and then he moved to my parents where he received income support in his own right. He was 16 at the time.

However, they were very reluctant to give him income support, it has to be said, and it helped he was starting an apprenticeship in the September.

There is help out there but you have to push hard for it, and it makes no difference that you are a blood relative.

I would defintitely try your nearest Foyer too as they do great work with people his age and will also advise you about benefits etc. They were very helpful with my son but he never took a place with them.

Everything will be much easier if he stays in education...

Really though, get tough with them! When it comes to 'discretionary' benefits like this, it is often a case of 'he who shouts loudest'! Don't take 'no' for an answer!

Badger_Lady

Slightly to the side of the topic, but with regards to transport he could use an electric moped like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/100-ROAD-LEGAL-ELECTRIC-BIKE-SCOOTER-MOPED-FUN9_W0QQitemZ120361633310QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Sporting_Goods_Scooters_LE?hash=item120361633310

He wouldn't need a licence, just to be over 14 - of course I appreciate it's still far from ideal and requires money to buy!