Loosing the will to live

lazer

OP can you post the sizes of the rooms?


maybe some inventive solution to make things more liveable could be found, perhaps a mezzanine style bed for the non disabled son in the boys room, or your room if it is slightly bigger.


If you are both carers and have no family nearby, what is keeping you in the area, could you move to a different area and be in with a better chance of social housing?


Although the downstairs is open plan is their a small area you could curtain or partition off to give the room to your son?

Grumpelstiltskin

I can give you my experience of needing an MP's help when in the same situation as you, current MP retiring and having no interest in anything.


I live in a constituency which is so safe, one of the safest in the country so obvious which party would win.


A friend attended a meeting with the candidate and when he asked if anyone had any problems he explained our situation and gave him our phone number.


He contacted us and said officially he couldn't do anything until after the election, but he was shocked that the current MP didn't want to know.


Outcome was that he put us in touch with the MP in the next constituency, he again explained that as we were not his constituents he couldn't do anything officially but he put pressure on behind the scenes and things got sorted.

outofmoney

Thanks Grumpelstiltskin for sharing your experience. No idea what will happen in this area but I have a very strong feeling we will be getting either Farage

Lazer - The boys room is 8ft by 7.5ft. Ours is 10ft by about 8ft. Large windows the width of the room, chimney breasts and an airing cupboard all make fitting furniture in quite interesting. We have explored all options with rearranging furniture and it just won't work.


The ceilings are low. We originally had a high sleeper but our son couldn't sit up in bed as the gap was only about two foot.

No areas to partition off downstairs either. It's just one square room with the stairs in and the kitchen diner coming off that.

penguingirl

Does it make a difference that one of your sons is now 18? I wouldn't have thought that the council would have approved of an adult sharing with minors.

outofmoney

That is why we need 5 bedrooms. Though we have done for some time but that was because their disabilities meant they needed a room each.

pinkshoes

Can you not move to a cheaper part of the country if neither of you work? Would that not give you opportunity to have a larger house?

Can either of the 18 year olds contribute financially, or help with care so you can get a job?

pmlindyloo

I don't know what area of the country you are in but wonder if you have a nearby CAB which would have a housing specialist? CAB is heavily involved with social issues and I think your situation is one that they would be interested in.

In the meantime I can only add a few suggestions which may or not be relevant.

Certainly a put up bed in the living age is a possibility but just lack of storage space must be a big problem.

If the council are not able to help then you may have to consider:

Finding a larger private rental. There are landlords out there who do accept people on HB. Letting agents are not the best option - ask friends and family/look in local newspapers. I know it isn't easy and it does take considerable patience and time but it is possible.

With two disabled children requiring day and night care then check that you are receiving the correct benefits for them - use https://www.entitledto.co.uk or CAB will do a check for you. It sounds as if both should be receiving DLA at the highest rate of care (mobility?)

Ask the council about the Discretionary Housing Payment. In your situation you may be eligible for some extra help with rent if you find somewhere that requires a top up from yourselves.

Consider whether either you or OH can work. Are social services involved with your disabled children? Can they provide some help? Are they at school during the day? Can you get part time jobs each? Don't know the situation regarding your children but is this possible?

Can your daughter get some part time work and contribute something towards the household?

If Nigel Farage is canvassing in your area and might be your MP in the future then take this opportunity to contact him and see what help he can give.

outofmoney

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I don't know what area of the country you are in but wonder if you have a nearby CAB which would have a housing specialist? CAB is heavily involved with social issues and I think your situation is one that they would be interested in.

They are our next port of call. Though Shelter were unable to help.

In the meantime I can only add a few suggestions which may or not be relevant.

Certainly a put up bed in the living age is a possibility but just lack of storage space must be a big problem.

And lack of privacy too sadly. None of the kids want that

If the council are not able to help then you may have to consider:

Finding a larger private rental. There are landlords out there who do accept people on HB. Letting agents are not the best option - ask friends and family/look in local newspapers. I know it isn't easy and it does take considerable patience and time but it is possible.

We have been looking but this area really do hate HB. The rents are far too high anyway. We asked about DHB before moving here as it was above the LHA and was told yes but we had to move in and apply for HB first. So we did and then they refused on the grounds we knew the rent was higher when we moved in!

With two disabled children requiring day and night care then check that you are receiving the correct benefits for them - use https://www.entitledto.co.uk or CAB will do a check for you. It sounds as if both should be receiving DLA at the highest rate of care (mobility?)

Yes, we get all we can. Both are on the high rate and one son has a Blue Badge so parking is also essential. Around here many homes don't have any nearby parking.

Ask the council about the Discretionary Housing Payment. In your situation you may be eligible for some extra help with rent if you find somewhere that requires a top up from yourselves.

Consider whether either you or OH can work. Are social services involved with your disabled children? Can they provide some help? Are they at school during the day? Can you get part time jobs each? Don't know the situation regarding your children but is this possible?

My health is not good either. I had to give up my part time work. Hubby looks after me as well as the boys. Our daughter is at college full time but helps with housework and stuff like that. We did ask SS, and they just complained about the lack of privacy our children were getting. But they complained to us!! We asked them to write to the council. They said they would three times, they never did.

Can your daughter get some part time work and contribute something towards the household?

If Nigel Farage is canvassing in your area and might be your MP in the future then take this opportunity to contact him and see what help he can give.

Urgh, lol. Worth a try maybe. Not that I've seen him here.

Pinkshoes - We could move, and frequently look online. But in most areas you need to be living in the area to apply for housing. We are currently in the South East.

silvercar

If you are calculated as needing 5 rooms then the council won't give you anything less. So one solution may be to officially classify one of your kids as living elsewhere and hope they allocate you a 4 bed.

outofmoney

Silvercar - They could give us a 4 bedroom house, this is why we can bid on them. They won't give us a house because we don't meet the criteria of working and having children under ten.