Refused community care grant can anyone help??

Witter

Hi, i have spoke to the duty social service team today who advised about the charitys and groups shes already registerd with and about a ccg i explained she had just been refused and she said they nearly alway refuse the grant at first and to write a letter asking them to review the claim. She said to make the letter really stand out that they are really in need of these items and how they are strugling to go on without them and its putting pressure on them and they are finding it hard to cope. Have any of you got any ideas of how we can make it stand out that they cant cope without these items and why she should be awarded the grant. Please reply if you have any ideas to help ask for a review. Thanks for all your help

moodydonkey

Hi Witter, I'm in Norfolk we have a shop called Hughes, I haven't used them personally but know people who have. I really don't know the ins and outs so you would need to do some research but you can rent items such as ovens and washing machines. Not ideal or cost effective in the long run but it might be worth it short term for essentials.
Best wishes to your sister, I started pretty much from scratch with a huge help from freecycle after a break up so I sympathise.

XXJULESXX

Who is her landlord? If she is renting from a council or Housing Association they likely have housing support officers who assist with these forms. alternatively is there not a welfare benefits section within her local social work dept, as this is an area they are happy to hep with too.
Definitely appeal. And be sure to do it within the timescale.

lynzpower

Witter wrote: »

Hi, i have spoke to the duty social service team today who advised about the charitys and groups shes already registerd with and about a ccg i explained she had just been refused and she said they nearly alway refuse the grant at first and to write a letter asking them to review the claim. She said to make the letter really stand out that they are really in need of these items and how they are strugling to go on without them and its putting pressure on them and they are finding it hard to cope. Have any of you got any ideas of how we can make it stand out that they cant cope without these items and why she should be awarded the grant. Please reply if you have any ideas to help ask for a review. Thanks for all your help

Can she attach some photos of the house, bedroom, where they are sleeping etc? Even a print off of digital phone photos? Dont know if she has a computer though im sort of guessing she doesn't but the libraries do printing if thats any use? For example someone could take pics and email to her and she could print off at the library.

If she lived nearer to me Id be straight round with some spare gear but alas im totally miles away in London.

chesky369

What can a community care grant be made for

8

A client can apply for a community care grant for any specific need, provided that it is not an [URL="file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/INDEX/CATEGORI/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/09040830.HTM#which_expenses_are_excluded"]item that it is excluded[/URL] and provided it meets one of the conditions in the following two paragraphs.

9

The direction ([URL="file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/INDEX/CATEGORI/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/09040830.HTM#endnote005"]endnote 5[/URL]) made by the Secretary of State states that a community care grant can be awarded to assist with expenses, including travel expenses incurred within the UK, in order to:-

• help a client, or a member of her/his family, or someone the client (or member of her/his family) is to care for, establish her/himself in the community following a stay in institutional or residential care; or
• help a client, or a member of her/his family, or someone the client (or member of her/his family) is to care for, remain in the community, rather than go into institutional or residential care; or
• ease exceptional pressures on the client and her/his family; or
• allow the client, or her/his partner, to care for a prisoner or young offender on temporary release; or
• help a client set up home as part of a planned programme of resettlement following an unsettled period, for example, a period of homelessness.

The above was taken from citizens' advice guidelines - I think the one I've underlined is the one your sister might pursue.

lynzpower

Or setting up home after a period of unsettledness, I think fleeing domestic violence would count as that too.

bestpud

I will no doubt get slated for even suggesting this but I think it may be pertinent tbh:

Does it not make a difference that she has been in the house a year and in that time has set up home with the father of her eldest child and had another child with him?

I can't understand why you say she has 'recently' moved into the house - where has she been since March 09 and who has been paying the rent? How has she managed this long without all that equipment?

Presumably she has been claiming benefit all that time and hasn't thought to buy anything with it? She would have had the surestart maternity grant too so why doesn't she have even basic necessities for the children?

She is arguing domestic violence and having to flee her ex has caused this situation but that was a good while ago and I'd say her choices since have an equal bearing on her situation.

Perhaps a decision maker wouldn't consider that but, to me at least, it seems reasonable to question why she hasn't used the money paid to her over the last year or more to improve her situation.

Witter

Hi, thank you so much for all your replys. She lives in a private rented at the moment so landlord wouldnt help. And no she hasnt been claiming benefits the whole time and hasnt been living in the property since march 09 she started renting it then but had no choice but to move into it. Shes been looking and advertising for free stuff. The little babys father is her ex partner but her daughters father treats him as his own due to other reasons and will never have contact with his own father due to things that went on. My sister has stayed with her mum and friends dues to being un able to cope alone and ending up trying to take her own life after baby was born. Her daughters dad supported them untill recently when he returned from down south to be with them. Hes now looking for work in the manchester area to support them

Witter

moodydonkey wrote: »

Hi Witter, I'm in Norfolk we have a shop called Hughes, I haven't used them personally but know people who have. I really don't know the ins and outs so you would need to do some research but you can rent items such as ovens and washing machines. Not ideal or cost effective in the long run but it might be worth it short term for essentials.
Best wishes to your sister, I started pretty much from scratch with a huge help from freecycle after a break up so I sympathise.

Hi, thank you for your reply i will definetly look into it. I wil google it

Witter

XXJULESXX wrote: »

Who is her landlord? If she is renting from a council or Housing Association they likely have housing support officers who assist with these forms. alternatively is there not a welfare benefits section within her local social work dept, as this is an area they are happy to hep with too.
Definitely appeal. And be sure to do it within the timescale.

Hi, thanks for replying, shes in private rented and the landlord isnt much help at the best of times. I'm trying to help write a letter but i'm finding it hard to think how to put down on paper how they are strugling. I dont know how they look at things