Homeless - what help is available when offered housing?

Slamstrip

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had any experience /knowledge of what help is available regarding furniture / carpets / rent when offered a house after homelessness.

I'm in the Falkirk council district. We have 2 young children. We have been offered a house by a housing association and they have said they want 2 months rent up front.

I can not afford this and have nothing whatsoever to put in the house. Need everything from carpets to beds and white goods.

I am on a low income and will only just manage to pay rent etc and will never be able to affords the rent in advance and the essentials to allow me to move in

I am worried that if we can't get any help we will lose the house and homeless status.

Any help would be grately appreciated.

Thanks

marliepanda

Free cycle and gumtree often have things people are giving away for free. That's a good place to start.

marliepanda

Free cycle and gumtree often have things people are giving away for free. That's a good place to start.

What is your income, and what benefits do you get. You'll be getting tax credits for your children yes? How old are they?

GwylimT

Out of the things you need carpet is at the bottom of the list, get some slippers.

Are you receiving any form of benefit apart from child benefit? You may be able to get a budgeting loan to cover the up front rent. Have you been to a local BHF or Betel of Britain? You can get very reasonable priced furniture and white goods. Have a good look around free cycle and preloved, you can get things cheap/free then you just need to hire either a cheap van or a man with a van to collect it all.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Well of course you accept the house because a roof over your head is the most important thing. Beg or borrow the two months rent, ask your local council for help, approach some charities, ask friends or families. Try crowd funding. Sell anything of value, including jewellery, computers etc. Freecycle/family/friends for everything inside.

paragon909

Slamstrip wrote: »

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had any experience /knowledge of what help is available regarding furniture / carpets / rent when offered a house after homelessness.

I'm in the Falkirk council district. We have 2 young children. We have been offered a house by a housing association and they have said they want 2 months rent up front.

I can not afford this and have nothing whatsoever to put in the house. Need everything from carpets to beds and white goods.

I am on a low income and will only just manage to pay rent etc and will never be able to affords the rent in advance and the essentials to allow me to move in

I am worried that if we can't get any help we will lose the house and homeless status.

Any help would be grately appreciated.

Thanks

As you stay in Scotland and are homeless and have an unsettled life right now.

I would suggest contacting your local council about the scottish welfare fund.

They give a community care grant, Which provides the basic essentials to get you started.


http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/benefits-support/scottish-welfare-fund/

Slamstrip

My income is 200-300 a week depending if any overtime available which is very rare.

I thought you couldn't get a budgeting loan unless your on jsa or esa??

Yes we get tax credits for 2 and 3 yo.

I was told the ha can't force us to pay so much rent upfront as we are classed as homeless under the homeless legislation and that it would be discrimination on financial situation.??

marliepanda

Do you have family?

Can they take on childcare whilst you both work? The three year
Old will have 15 hours free so you only need to find care for the 2 year old until they hit three too. 15 hours work a week could be a big help.

Who told the HA can't ask for that? The HA will have their own policy. Being skint isn't a protected class so you can be discriminated against for not having enough money. Plenty of people are every day

paragon909

Slamstrip wrote: »

My income is 200-300 a week depending if any overtime available which is very rare.

I thought you couldn't get a budgeting loan unless your on jsa or esa??

Yes we get tax credits for 2 and 3 yo.

I was told the ha can't force us to pay so much rent upfront as we are classed as homeless under the homeless legislation and that it would be discrimination on financial situation.??

To get a budgeting loan, You need to be on a income based benefit for at least 6 months. And the max loan for a single person I believe is around £350.

HappyMJ

Slamstrip wrote: »

My income is 200-300 a week depending if any overtime available which is very rare.

I thought you couldn't get a budgeting loan unless your on jsa or esa??

Yes we get tax credits for 2 and 3 yo.

I was told the ha can't force us to pay so much rent upfront as we are classed as homeless under the homeless legislation and that it would be discrimination on financial situation.??

You most probably won't get a budgeting loan then. You need to have been claiming an income based benefit for 26 weeks.

How about the bank?

You have an income of 200-300 a week plus tax credit, child benefit and housing benefit that should be able to secure a small loan. How much is the 2 months rent upfront?

Discrimination based on your financial ability is not recognized as illegal discrimination.

Slamstrip

marliepanda wrote: »

Do you have family?

Can they take on childcare whilst you both work? The three year
Old will have 15 hours free so you only need to find care for the 2 year old until they hit three too. 15 hours work a week could be a big help.

Who told the HA can't ask for that? The HA will have their own policy. Being skint isn't a protected class so you can be discriminated against for not having enough money. Plenty of people are every day

I dont have any family that could look after them. My partner had to leave her job as we had to move far away from her work. And there are no childminding facilities where we are. Hopefully when we get settled she will get back in work.

It was an adviser at Shelter who said that if they refused us the property as we couldn't afford the rent in advance they were discriminating against us due to our income. As we are homeless and would be entitled to help with rent anyway. They said to pay what we can and tell ha that we will apply for hb and a discretionary housing payment to cover rent in advance when we move in as we can't apply till we have the house .

Can you apply for community care grant before you get the keys? Or do you need to wait for a decision on the grant while unable to live in it but still have to pay rent.