Is Social Housing an Option?

Stripeybat

Hi all

I was hoping there might be someone on here could offer me some advice on moving out for the first time please.

I'm 28 and still live at home my partner lives with us also. We are both disabled and are on ESA and PIP. My disabilities have a large effect on my housing need, I need suitable access for a wheelchair etc.

We hope to move out at some point in the near future (woo, independence! :j) and have been spending our time learning as much as we can and saving as much as we can so we're ready. The forums have been a huge help with that, thank you everyone

Does anyone have any idea whether we would be eligible for social housing? Our understanding was that we wouldn't qualify unless we were unable to stay at the current property and this isn't the case. Is this correct? We arent being asked to leave, it's more that we are desperate for some independence (its been a long time coming!) and it finally seems doable with my partner living with me. An adapted property would make my life infinitely better as this house isn't absolutely ideal for wheelchair access, however we didn't want to just go ahead and apply to go on the housing register when there would be people in more/urgent need.

We had been looking into the idea of private rent with the understanding that we would never find somewhere completely suitable for me but that we might be able to muddle along with for a few years. There seem to be the odd properties round here with widened bedroom and bathroom doorways so its not completely out of the question

Obviously we're very new and naive so I'd like to be a lot more in the know before we do anything! We arent even sure where we can go for advice on this, so any thoughts or advice on this would be so appreciated x

Norman_Castle

Contact your local social housing providers. They will asses your needs and decide your priority then match that to what is available.

AdrianC

You are currently in housing that is perfectly appropriate for your needs, and secure. As such, you will be a low priority.

Mardle

Register with your local social housing provider and bid for suitable properties. Your chances of getting one will depend on what properties become available and who else bids for them so you may have a long wait but you could also get lucky despite being low priority.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

AdrianC wrote: »

You are currently in housing that is perfectly appropriate for your needs, and secure. As such, you will be a low priority.

This. Social housing is so scarce these days that there are often hideously long waiting times for a home. As you are housed securely you won't be offered anything. Of course, this does depend, to some extent, as to where you live as some areas have waiting lists of 10-15 years (London boroughs), while others are shorter (3 years).

You can apply for housing and may get a very low banding which will enable you to bid for properties. You could be bidding for many, many years though without being successful. In order to increase your banding you'll need to be evicted and homeless. Then you might be offered temporary accommodation while you continue to bid.

I'd suggest you contact the Housing Department of your LA and find out what their process is, the likelihood of getting a banding and how long you might be waiting. You may need to consider looking at privately renting. Again, the Housing Dept. should be able to help with this. Private rental might be less secure and more expensive but it will be far quicker than waiting for social housing.

davidmcn

AdrianC wrote: »

You are currently in housing that is secure.

Lioness_Twinkletoes wrote: »

As you are housed securely you won't be offered anything.

What security of tenure does the OP have in their parents' home?

(admittedly this is different from "currently being chucked out of parents' home", but I wouldn't call it "secure" in any legal sense)

AnnieO1234

With your disabilities, do you have a social worker? They would be my first port of call. If your current home doesn't meet your disabled needs it would be quite easy to argue the need for a new property, and talk about the ins and outs with you.

Xxx

Lioness_Twinkletoes

davidmcn wrote: »

What security of tenure does the OP have in their parents' home?

(admittedly this is different from "currently being chucked out of parents' home", but I wouldn't call it "secure" in any legal sense)

They have a secure place to live. Secure in the sense that they are safe and the home meets their needs. Perhaps the word 'secure' was wrong, but the fact is while they are living in their parents home they're not priority and will be a very low banding.

The parents will have to 'evict' them in order for them to be considered priority. Often, the Housing Officer will visit the family home and effectively ask the parents to let them continue living in the home as it is secure and meets their housing needs.

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

If your current home doesn't meet your disabled needs....

It can't be that bad, given that the boyfriend has moved in.

Peter333

I agree with the davidmcn, that the OP and her partner are hardly in secure accommodation are they?! They live with her parents. Some people on here would say you are suitably housed if you have a broom cupboard at your nan's house!

The OP is not in secure accommodation. What if the parents move? Or if they have a row and want them out? Also, the house is not suitable for the OP's disability needs. And so what if the boyfriend has moved in? Maybe they want to be together, and maybe he helps the OP with her disability needs!

At 28, and with disability needs, you need a place of your own. Getting support from any doctors or specialists will help. A friend of mine has a chronic illness, and her specialist wrote a supporting letter to say she should be housed in a bungalow, and it bumped her up the bands, and she went from being 40th and 50th when she bid on a property, to being 5th and 6th. She was housed within 2 months of that letter going in.

How long you wait to get housed depends largely on your area of course. London has colossal waiting times, but many other areas are much shorter. I know one girl who joined the list with her 2 kiddies, who was housed within 6 months, because she went for a hard-to-let area, and was the only bidder for that house. The area was a bit rough, but she grew up there and knew everyone, so she loves it there.

Upshot is that you need to get on the housing list, EVERYONE is entitled to go on the list. Also, you need to get some medical evidence to back up your claim that you need somewhere more suitable.

By the way, if you're not overcrowded in your parents house, you will lose overcrowding points though. However, if there ever comes a time when your parents said they no longer want you there, because it's just not working out (you and your B/F being there,) and they write a letter to the council stating that, then this would help your case too.

[Deleted User]

I agree. Find someone who deals with your condition (charity, social worker, support worker - if you don't presently have anyone go to the council see if they have a vulnerable adult team and start from there).

Emphasise how your present accommodation doesn't meet your needs. I suspect you feel a bit self conscious about this, but it is important too. Think about the needs you have re independent living i.e. what you need to enable you to manage if your partner isn't around.

Social housing is short, but you also aren't a typical 28 year old that can move into any old house share situation.

In my area, we get one or two 3 bed houses on the bidding list a month and lots of single bed properties, most of which are adapted or supported. It can be quite frustrating for someone without disabilities lol (ironic humour). But that is because it is recognised that less options are available re private renting. It depends on the area. Find out what the reality is for your area. It may be a lot better than some of the posts on here say. Nothing to lose by trying.

Wishing you all the best.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Peter333 wrote: »

I agree with the davidmcn, that the OP <snip>

*Sigh* Try reading all the posts. I worked in Housing and the OP will not be priority need until they've been evicted from their current home. The advice I gave in post 5 stands and is good advice. The phrasing of the word 'secure' has been explained.