medical points for council housing?

hayley77

hi all,
we are currently in a situ were we have to move from our private rented home in 7 weeks due to the owners wanting to sell. Have got on the council list, but only got 39 points for inseacure tenancy.
My question is; i filled out the medical form as im on anti depressants and our eldest boy (9) have learing and speech problems and is not in main stream education, statement just going through,should'nt we get some medical points? Have phoned and been told that medical forms have been looked at but no points awarded.
Any help would be great.

Many thanks Hayley x

Anthillmob

i found that the council were useless when it came to medical points in my case. even getting my consultant, doctor and mp on the case was not enough (i had to walk 8 flights of stairs as there was no lift and i have arthritis).

i got social services to do an assessment and within a week i was given over-riding medical points.

cannot promise anything but ask for an assessment.

silvercar

if the reason you need council housing is because your landlord is selling up, you may well be required to wait until the landlord evicts you before being accepted as needing emergency housing.

some councils operate a deposit guarantee scheme to help you on your way to another private tenancy.

kit

Medical points will only be awarded if the council can provide you with housing that will help improve your child's way of life.

Say you needed a downstairs bedroom - then medical points would be awarded to show that a move would benefit you.

It is really complicated.

However you should be classed as homeless when you have less than a month left at your current address and the council should help you find other accomodation whether it be B&B, hostel, private rented etc. They will not help if you have caused your homelessness (ie not paying your rent etc).

HTH

scorpio_princess

I looked into going on the CHR (Common Housing Register)a few months ago, with the hope of getting a housing association flat, but in the end I didn't bother. Social housing is so scarce in this area (7000 people on the waiting list!!) that i'd literally have to turn up at the council offices with my stuff on their doorstep - and even then I'd be put into B&B accomodation, for an unknown amount of time. I have a disability with affects my mobility, and stairs can be an issue for me, but even with this in mind, I still felt that I wouldn't 'earn' enough points. The document I read stated that you have to prove the accommodation you're currently in is adversly affecting/exacerbating a disability or medical condition, and as I was living with my parents (and had been for many years), I didn't think they'd understand my need for a flat with no stairs.

There should be people available at the council to advise you. Basically, you have to lay it on a bit thick Not saying you should (or indeed need to) fabricate anything, just that you really need to drum it home to them how you family's medical problems affect your living arrangements.

I may still apply for council housing (particularly as my private rent on a one bed flat is crippling me because it's just little ol' me and my paltry wages) but I never like to draw attention to my disability, or 'make a fuss' - people always tell me to put myself out more, so I guess that's what i'm telling you here!! Perhaps I should follow my own advice...

Anthillmob

call your coun cil and ask to speak to housing advice. they can help a great deal with regards to finding another property/

Alleycat

Do you know if your landlord has issued you with a legal notice? If so and you haven't already, you should make an appointment with your local Homelessness Advice Office (LA) for a homelessness assessment. You should not leave your tenancy prior to the landlord going to court for possession as you would be classed as making yourself homeless and the council would have no duty to provide you with assistance (temporary accommodation, priority for rehousing). As you have children, you would be classed as in priority need.

With regards to your medical issues. From what you have stated, it would be unlikely that you would gain any extra points or be able to use this to get priority for rehousing. You are not being made homeless due to your medical needs i.e. as another poster mentioned, you need level access accommodation due to a disability etc. The housing register in the local authority where I work, don't work on a points based system, so I am unsure of their criteria. Maybe have a look at your local council website in the housing section. There should be some info there.

You should also register with as many housing associations as you can and advise them of your situation. If/when you receive a letter after your homelessness assessment saying that you have been awarded priority for rehousing, pass a copy along to them as they will be able to move you further up the list as they will have confirmation that you are facing homelessness.

hayley77

thanks all,
have had the letter after seeing housing outreach worker saying we have 30 points due to situ and in priority 1,but 3 bed houses tend to go for 50 points plus! Even if become homeless will have to go into a womens hostel, apart from partner but with kids for a few days, then council give you 40 points,meanwhile (this could be a few months) u are put in tempory accom,high rised somewere miles from kids schools. Then the council hold back 10% of housing stock, in the most unpoplar areras, and offer u one of them, u have to accept or points gone!(even though there not enough to win a house bid!)
Any help welcome x

Alleycat

Which local authority are you with? There should be adequate provision made available to family units to house them temporarily in a satisfactory manner i.e. together within the family unit.

I have been scanning the housing act but can't find what I am looking for exactly to enable you to quote it to your Housing Advisor/Homelessness Officer. However, the duty to provide temporary accommodation encompasses both yourself and the person with whom you reside or might reasonably be expected to reside. However, there are sometimes cases where a partner would not be counted as the above. I assume that you have been living with your partner for a reasonable period of time, are the children his? Also, are you claiming tax credits and child benefits as a couple? I have sometimes dealt with cases that present as homeless where the woman and man are not claiming as a couple and it appears that they have not been living together as a family unit prior to presentation. In those instances the partner would not be eligible for the same assistance.

If you meet the above criteria then it would be reasonable to expect you to be housed together. If your local authority do not have such temporary accommodation (I would be incredibly surprised if they did not) then they would be expected to provide bed and breakfast accommodation. It should only be used in an emergency and if your household includes children, you should not be placed there for more than 6 weeks without suitable alternative temporary housing be provided.

Alleycat

Sorry, one more thing regarding the provision of temp accommodation. If you are offered temporary accommodation that you feel is unsuitable for you and your family you can request a review of the type/location. You should NOT refuse it, but request the review. If you refuse the temp offered, then the duty to provide temp/interim accommodation can be discharged i.e. they will have no futher duty to provide temp.

hayley77

hi
Im with stockport near manchester.
Anyone else with any help?