Homeless and Jobless. What help is available?

Oldernotwiser

How on earth can he afford to rent a car to live in - a cheap b&b would cost less!

prosaver

Secret-Santa wrote: »

Hi,

I am a regular poster but am using a different username as the person I mention knows my username.

Basically a good friend of mine (in his early 20's) is currently homeless and jobless. He is living in a rented car with his belongings.

He has been to the estate agents to ask for the cheapest place to rent as he has money in his savings, but they required him to have a job contract of at least 6 months.



What can he do next? Thank you in advance.

Young man, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy.

Young man, there's a place you can go.
I said, young man, when you're short on your dough.
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. http://images2.moneysavingexpert.com/images/forum_smilies/sport-smiley-001.gif
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. http://images2.moneysavingexpert.com/images/forum_smilies/sport-smiley-001.gif

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel ...

Young man, are you listening to me?
I said, young man, what do you want to be?
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.
But you got to know this one thing!

No man does it all by himself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,
And just go there, to the y.m.c.a.
I'm sure they can help you today.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel ...

Young man, I was once in your shoes.
I said, I was down and out with the blues.
I felt no man cared if I were alive.
I felt the whole world was so tight ...

That's when someone came up to me,
And said, young man, take a walk up the street.
There's a place there called the y.m.c.a.
They can start you back on your way.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y-m-c-a ... just go to the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, are you listening to me?
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?

pmlindyloo

The council do have a duty to give your friend as much information as possible. They should have a list of landlords who accept people on benefits. They also might have a rent deposit scheme and if they do they should give information about this too.

I recently helped a young homeless man and he was able to register as homeless (just to get into the system- no housing available) and with a 'push' from me he was given the above information. He was also told that when he found a place to live (probably a room in a shared house - check the LHA on their website) he could go back to the council, tell them the landlord's name and the address and they would sort out his deposit, HB and CT too.

The council should also have the names of any hostels etc. You do have to be very 'pushy' as many councils are notoriously unhelpful when it comes to homeless young single men.

CAB should have the names of any places (hostels) that may help too.

There is also Porchlight ( google the name and see if there is one in your area) who help the homeless.

Hope this helps and your friend gets 'sorted' soon.

RAS

Hi

Your friends needs to get a bit more realistic. If he is not working then the maximum he can afford going to be dictated by the Local Housing Allowance. If he finds anywhere that costs more, he has to take the money out of his JSA. And since both JSA and LHA are lower for people under 26, he needs to be very careful about that.

There have been various discussions on here about young people and rental costs and it is pretty much accepted that anyone single under 26 cannot afford a flat or studio unless they are on a decent salary, as they cannot get WTC, and get reduced JSA and reduced LHA.

You can find the informnation here http://www.voa.gov.uk/lhadirect/lha-emergency-budget-news-2010.htm

He needs to look for a house share and get his LHA sorted out.

Jowo_2

Many local councils run deposit guarantee schemes for those in housing need/low income. Does his?

The local council is obliged to accept a homelessness application from him - is he being fobbed off from submitting it?. Get him to speak to Shelter on their free advice line and read up on their homelessness section of the website.

Crisis undertook a mystery shopping exercise and got a number of people to pose as homeless and visit their local council housing dept. They found that most councils routinely ignored their statutory obligations - many of those taking part in the exercise did not get past the receptionist or were falsely asked to provide further information. In all cases, the council should have accepted and processed their homelessness application and very few bothered (9 out of 45 cases).

http://www.crisis.org.uk/pressreleases.php/365/councils-failing-single-homeless-people

Shelter have provided this link for people to search for day centres and hostels.

http://www.homelessuk.org/search/searchAccomSimple.asp?ds=1

Secret-Santa_2

Hi,

No he hasnt been asked to submit a homeless application.
He has asked and asked at different council offices for a list of private landlords and been told they dont have any so look in papers.
Hes looked in papers and rang some and most places have already been taken.
Hes in a car because he had to drive from a rural location quite far away to a town so he could get help and also needed somewhere to store his belongings.

I have read that the council do offer a bond for rent deposits but they say you need to find a landlord that accepts this first.
He is willing to live in a shared house/room.

What happens if he submits a homeless application? what difference does this make to his situation?

Thank you,

RAS

Hi

So he has moved into the area (although it sounds like some of his friends are already there)?

Between you, some of his friends must know which of the local newsagents, supermarkets etc have rental information up regularly. He may be best going for lodgings or house share directly with the LL rather than using agencies.

Secret-Santa_2

I'm not from the local area. He moved from my area back to where he used to live last year and has a few friends back there that are trying to help. But none of us have ever looked at getting our own place so are a little clueless.

Hes just trying to look for a private landloard at the mo not through agencies. But theres only a limited few and they seem to have been snapped up.

I have emailed a few charity places for info and they say he should submit a homeless application too so have told him to do so. Not sure what difference it makes though.

pmlindyloo

Sorry, but Porchlight only appears to operate in Kent!

You don't say where you are living so it is difficult to give you links.

Registering as homeless should give you access to the Homeless Officer (or whatever name they go under). This should be the person who has all the information that you need. I cannot believe that the council does not have access to the names of landlords who accept people on HB and rent deposit schemes.

All I can suggest is to go to CAB who may have more 'clout' with getting the information from the council.

Also do some googling for 'homeless' in your town and you may find some charities to help.

Jowo_2

A local council, if they determine that the applicant hasn't made themselves intentionally homeless (by leaving their previous property when they didn't have to or being asked to leave because of their own actions, such as anti social behaviour or rent arrears) are obliged by law to provide assistance. This includes finding accommodation for those in priority need or advice to those who are not.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/homelessness/emergency_accommodation/how_the_council_can_help

The Shelter website has an emergency housing checker and info to help the homeless

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/downloads_and_tools/emergency_checker

The Crisis mystery shopping exercise has demonstrated that the local council fails to honour its obligations in 80% of the homeless cases they presented to them.