Refused community care grant can anyone help??

Witter

lynzpower wrote: »

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.

Aww thank you. Yes i could take some pictures of the beds and send them with the letter that could help

Witter

chesky369 wrote: »

What can a community care grant be made for

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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.

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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.

Hi, thanks for your reply i will include that in the letter to ask them to review her claim

lynzpower

Witter wrote: »

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

Does the property come as "furnished"?

Witter

lynzpower wrote: »

Does the property come as "furnished"?

Hi, no unfurnished it was empty not even curtains or carpets

sunnyone

bestpud wrote: »

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 you have replied to every post but this one, why?

Witter

sunnyone wrote: »

Witter you have replied to every post but this one, why?

Hi, i did reply but couldnt quote it as i was on my mobile phone internet. It should be under that

bestpud

sunnyone wrote: »

Witter you have replied to every post but this one, why?

She has kind of replied but it still makes no sense imo.

She has been renting an empty house for a year but not claimed benefits so I can only assume her new partner has been sending them enough money to pay rent on an empty house and keep them...?

You have to wonder why someone earning that much would give up his job and move into the house straight away, don't you?

I mean, why not get the house sorted and apply for new jobs up north before leaving a good job?

I assume he now has a sanction for JSA hence they have less income than they'd have even claiming.

I'm sure this is why they were turned down - seems mostly of their own making from where I'm sitting!

sunnyone

Witter wrote: »

Hi, i did reply but couldnt quote it as i was on my mobile phone internet. It should be under that

the reply you gave dosnt make any sense witter, I have read and reread it and it still is unreadable.

Witter

bestpud wrote: »

She has kind of replied but it still makes no sense imo. She has been renting an empty house for a year but not claimed benefits so I can only assume her new partner has been sending them enough money to pay rent on an empty house and keep them...? You have to wonder why someone earning that much would give up his job and move into the house straight away, don't you? I mean, why not get the house sorted and apply for new jobs up north before leaving a good job? I assume he now has a sanction for JSA hence they have less income than they'd have even claiming. I'm sure this is why they were turned down - seems mostly of their own making from where I'm sitting!

Well think what you like. I would say that they have both paid more than enough tax to be awarded something to help in this situation. He paid the rent on the house and gave her a small amount each week aswell as childbenefit which she used to get by. He moved back to help as shes finding it hard to cope due to everything thats happend and they wouldnt of been able to pay rent and feed them all without the over time he worked which stopped 2 month ago. Yes she did rent the house for a year. We've been trying to help furnish it using free sites, groups and charitys in between everything else thats been going on. They have just started claiming jsa and have put in a claim for housing benefit and childtax credit but are waiting for them to come through. They have never claimed benefits before

Witter

sunnyone wrote: »

the reply you gave dosnt make any sense witter, I have read and reread it and it still is unreadable.

Well i'm sorry if my spelling isnt up to scratch but ive not had a problem to read it and nobody else has