Homeless - what help is available when offered housing?

marliepanda

I'm not sure Shelter are accurate there. In fact it contradicts what it says in their website and makes no mention of them not being able to charge rent up front. It suggests a social fund loan as has already been suggested above.

You can of course show the HA your eligibility for HB and hope they accept that. A discretionary housing payment is just that, discretionary, and may not be awarded.

Are you legally homeless?

Do you have a connection to the local area? You say you've recently moved away from your partners work?

I'm not sure what you mean by paying rent but being unable to live in it. Whenever you pay rent you can live in it, you're just paying the rent in advance. If you paid tomorrow I assume you could move in tomorrow.

Slamstrip

marliepanda wrote: »

I'm not sure Shelter are accurate there. In fact it contradicts what it says in their website and makes no mention of them not being able to charge rent up front. It suggests a social fund loan as has already been suggested above.

You can of course show the HA your eligibility for HB and hope they accept that. A discretionary housing payment is just that, discretionary, and may not be awarded.

Are you legally homeless?

Do you have a connection to the local area? You say you've recently moved away from your partners work?

I'm not sure what you mean by paying rent but being unable to live in it. Whenever you pay rent you can live in it, you're just paying the rent in advance. If you paid tomorrow I assume you could move in tomorrow.

Yeah im not quite sure what the situation is regarding homeless legislation. We are legally unintentional homeless. We still live in the falkirk district but partners work is too far away and no childcare hence just me working. She said to explain the situation and if there was a problem to call back Shelter. Not surr what powers they have??

I mean we couldn't move in to the house as we have nothing whatsoever to put in it till we got grant or stuff from freecycle/gumtree.

Im gonna explain the situation to the ha tomorrow hopefully they will understand and let us take the house and worry about the rent once hb etc is sorted out.

Poppie68

Grants are not always available for claimants who have previously rented/owned a home, if you register on your local free cycle asap and place a polite request giving a brief account of your situation you may get lucky....don't go into detail with a sob story as people get turned off....I've done it on behalf of my daughters friend once and we got a fantastic response. I have also heard of our local tip/recycle workers are quite helpful if a person in need has a word with them. Maybe a visit to yours may help.

BigAunty

You may find there are charities in your area that offer furniture and kitchenware to those who were previously homeless.

There is a charity in your area that may offer starter packs of furniture and kitchenware

http://falkirkhomelessproject.btck.co.uk/About%20us

You may find that charity or your HA knows of other initiatives that can help.

Otherwise, can you manage £100 outlay on the basics for sleeping/heating like a halogen cooker, sleeping bags and kip mats/blow up mattresses?

It's really not worth passing up the offer of a secure tenancy simply because the property isn't carpetted and fully furnished when you get the keys. When you get the keys, you'll be in a good position to collect furniture and furnishings from Gumtree, freecycle and so on (and quite speedily as many people donating will be happy with a swift uplift). You can also place wanted ads.

Link to some furniture initiatives in Scotland

http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/practice_solutions/links/furniture_initiatives

marliepanda

If you're homeless then any things better than nothing surely? Buy a couple blowup mattresses and a cheap microwave until you get it sorted.

You don't need furniture to move in.

paragon909

Poppie68 wrote: »

Grants are not always available for claimants who have previously rented/owned a home, if you register on your local free cycle asap and place a polite request giving a brief account of your situation you may get lucky....don't go into detail with a sob story as people get turned off....I've done it on behalf of my daughters friend once and we got a fantastic response. I have also heard of our local tip/recycle workers are quite helpful if a person in need has a word with them. Maybe a visit to yours may help.

Community care grants are available to anyone who meets the requirements, regardless if you owned or rented a house.


And being homeless and having an unsettled way of life etc and low income in my eyes would meet the requirements, Sometimes councils don't like to give them out straight away, But you can appeal 2 times, And maybe get an MP to send a letter to head of finance at the council... That's the worst case scenario.

Topcat1982

Slamstrip wrote: »

I mean we couldn't move in to the house as we have nothing whatsoever to put in it till we got grant or stuff from freecycle/gumtree.
.

No furniture has to be better than sleeping rough!

I'm in Edinburgh and there's a facebook group of free stuff, so much furniture on there including beds. There must be similar in falkirk

lukieboy96

Check policy with the HA regards accepting the property because you may find that if you are homeless and refuse the property, then you may not be offered another one or go to the bottom of list. Explain your situation with them again. My HA do not require any deposit and 2 months does seem a lot. Good luck.