advice please

blossomcat

a short story. i have been a nurse in the nhs for 24years , as a sister , i ran a 60 bed emergency unit . I have lost my job due to ill health , i have always worked since i was 15yrs old , i am in rented accommodation that is now to expensive for me as i only get £64 a week to live on. I have been looking for some where to move to smaller and cheaper ,. But i just keep getting no benifts allowed , no pets allowed . i have never been in arrears with my rent or bill , but do have some debts due to illness and only getting half pay so had to live off my credit cards .I feel so disheartened .It has been suggested that i make my self home less and go into a hostel . Please help me with some advice
thank you.
nette

Colincbayley

As a private landlord, I would rent a place to you

But I am not in your area, as such look for private LL's in your local paper.

Have you applied for Local Housing Allowance?

blossomcat

i am waiting for letters from my land lord and previous landlord to prove i am not in arrears , they will not put me down on the housing lists until i can prove it . Thank you so much for saying that . It seems to me sometimes that i was trusted enough to save lives but not to live in a rented house, cos im on benifits , i can't get ill health retirement as am still being investigated, and do not have a diagnosis yet , im very fed up,
thank you

Colincbayley

blossomcat wrote: »

i am waiting for letters from my land lord and previous landlord to prove i am not in arrears , they will not put me down on the housing lists until i can prove it . Thank you so much for saying that . It seems to me sometimes that i was trusted enough to save lives but not to live in a rented house, cos im on benifits , i can get ill health retirement as am still being investigated, and do not have a diagnosis yet , im very fed up,
thank you

Sorry to hear that, if you every fancy moving 'down south' then give me a shout.

blossomcat

aww thank you

pastmybest

Again I would add that I am so sorry to hear of your troubles.

Surely after being a nurse for 24 years you will have a pension and possible lump sum that can be commuted from it?

Jowo_2

Are you receiving any other benefits, such as LHA, council tax benefit or similar? What health issues do you have? (so the forum members can advise you whether DLA or ESA are options). Have a look at the Entitled to website to double check your eligibility.

Have a look at your local council website to understand if they operate any schemes that introduce tenants to HB/LHA friendly landlords.

Go to the Debt free wanabee forum with a statement of accounts and they will help you to understand your options for dealing with your debts. The Citizens Advice Bureau should be able to help you with your debts which seem to be the main reason you are struggling. What's the point in potentially moving to cheaper accommodation if you are going to get overwhelmed with expenses in another area?

Speak to Shelter about your housing options, including applying for housing association properties in your local area. Have a look at their homelessness section to understand why if the local council believe you have made yourself intentionally homeless (by moving out when you did not have to), they won't give any assistance.

Are there any charities that help nurses with financial advice/grants or are you a member of a nursing union that may have a welfare or counselling service? For example, the armed forces have a multitude of organisations that help its members through hard times and ill health.

blossomcat

Hi thank you for that , i have done everything that you have suggested and am waiting for decisions, i am going to shelter tomorrow, a month ago he said that there are lots of empty sheltered property's all over leicester , and they have private landlords but he said he would not recommend them, i have lists of landlords from the local council, but with no luck so far . My health problems are many and varied , i have been under a chest professor and am under immunologists at present, they find a problem , fix it and another one pops up

this has been going on for 2 1/2 years i don't have a diagnosis , or it keeps changing so i don't have a prognosis. i have been trying to contact my local union welfare person but she is never there , and does not return my calls , im going to write to her tomorrow, i dont know of any nursing charites but i will do a search, tonight , thank you so much for your help ,i need to move to a smaller property as i do get hb, but in march they are reducing it , as i am a single person they will only pay for a one bedroom, flat, house ect.Also i need to cut costs in heating , at the mo i dont put it on till night time for two hours , a smaller place will reduce costs , why dont landlord take people on benifits ???

blossomcat

hi i am waiting for the pensions people , every thing takes so long,,,All these people are so busy right now as so many people have lost jobs and homes ,

Colincbayley

blossomcat wrote: »

why dont landlord take people on benifits ???

Most mortgage lenders and/or Insurers won't allow them too.

blossomcat

why not ?they are certain to get the rent ?