Advice for a homeless 18 year old please? UPDATED

southendwill

You could try contacting your local YMCA for some advice. I know they have their own youth workers.

squif33

Hammyman wrote: »

Any reason she can't find a job? School is only typically 9-3. No reason she couldn't get a part time job, work evenings or weekends or both.

Daft as it sounds, being in employment and on a low income would make access to housing benefits easier.

I was always under the impression you have to have an address to have a job?

Pitlanepiglet

Ahh poor kid, well done you for helping her out.

Would she be happy to lodge with someone? I wonder if that might be easier to find and does that work with benefits? The difficult question has to be "is she a problem?" - I don't wish to be rude, but I wonder if it might be possible to harness the power of the internet to find her somewhere but if she's problematic clearly that might be an issue.

If it's a case of putting up a deposit, I'd be happy to contribute some money to it - I don't have much but I could give something. My mum died when I was a child, my step mother didn't want me and my dad didn't stand up to her - I was lucky that my Nan was around plus my friend's parents offered to take me in as well. There but for the grace of God etc....

singlehouseholder

why do you say the council are obliged, is she just out of care or something? If she is she should have a leaving care worker and a dedicated support network, its up to the yp to engage with them, or not, as an 18 yo they are classed as an adult. I am a suported lodgings host, there may be a similar scheme in operation in your area, which is for vulnerable young adults, she's have to have issues to make her vulnerable though. She could contact the local Hostels, I know young people often end up in Salvation army hostels, has she looked into that as a stop gap? If she was lucky enough to live with some-one in supporetd lodgings she'd pay a minimal contribution towards rent, hb would cover the rest. Try and contact your local coundil see if they have a scheme like that in operation.

Wicked_witch

Singlehouseholder, while she was 17 the council would have been obliged to find her a safe place to live, such as a Foyer room, but as you say, now she is 18 they have pretty minimal duties. I've made some useful notes from your post, so thanks.

pitlane piglet, i'd say lodging would be her best bet atm, she is only entitled to the shared house rate of LHA anyway. Just a case of finding something suitable. I'm not *aware* that she is a problem personality, but haven't known her that long. She's coming back here tonight so I'll have a talk with her then and see what I can tactfully elicit... As for the deposit, that is so sweet of you but I would feel very uncomfortable taking up any offer like that on her behalf at this stage, especially knowing relatively little about her. I had hoped she might qualify for the councils deposit bond scheme, but that is only for people with children. Hopefully they will have some kind of accredited landlord list though.

southendwill, another good point. As above, she was promised a place in the local ymca in jan, when it was supposed to be finished building, but now the weather and budget cuts have put that back to at least March.

I get the feeling some of her friends parents are getting tired of having her around now :-( We can't manage to have her here long term, as the house is only a 2 bed and I have a fairly long term illness, so i would like to at least be able to give her some concrete help to find a stable home.

Wicked_witch

Quick update, my husband has taken her to get income support sorted and hopefully a crisis loan to cover the time until it's been awarded, so she will at least have a bit of cash in her pocket. I don't know if they'll manage to get to the council too (I had a hospital appt today, so not clued in) but I reckon probably not as these things involve so much waiting, if not we'll go there tomorrow.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Wicked_witch wrote: »

Quick update, my husband has taken her to get income support sorted and hopefully a crisis loan to cover the time until it's been awarded, so she will at least have a bit of cash in her pocket. I don't know if they'll manage to get to the council too (I had a hospital appt today, so not clued in) but I reckon probably not as these things involve so much waiting, if not we'll go there tomorrow.

she wont get a great amount of crisis loan payment and that money will deminish quickly as it wont be a great amount.

i would talk with her about seeing a CAB adviser, to get her full advice and legalitie's of her situation.

the coucil would/could offer a priority housing card (if this is still around have been told it's been deminished) and she should apply to all housing associations, the council should also have a list of private landlords that accept LHA/DSS, and maybe worth asking them.

Wicked_witch

Yep, I know the amount will be minimal, not expecting much at all but it's better than nothing. She's going to stay with us for the next few days while council etc are approached and things are set in motion. We're also going to try and get the landlord list from the council as it seems they do have one. I think it will be far better to try and find a room or bedsit privately than wait for a rare hostel place, esp as she doesn't have any issues with alcohol, mental health etc which would entitle her to extra help (that's not a complaint, lol!).

Wicked_witch

We found a room in a shared flat earlier this week It's been a difficult but amazing few weeks and 'S', who ended up staying with us long term while we sorted out her income support, esa etc, is now essentially our daughter, lol. It's only the lack of space, which is now really getting difficult, that has prevented her staying for good Luckily, her new place is ten minutes down the road on the bus, so she will still be round very regularly and is keeping the key for our door.:j

We'll start moving her in tomorrow, cleaning the place up and washing the curtains etc, ready for her to start a new life next week. Thanks to everyone for their help and especially to stresshead81, who didn't post in this thread but has been behind the scenes supporting our new extended family throughout :kisses3:

anxious_mum

How lovely of you to help her out in this way! I hope everything works out for the best, and congrats on your new 'daughter' x