Medical rehousing

Sleepymrsp

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of medical rehousing and could advise.

We have been given band b priority by Leeds city council as I am unable to get upstairs most of the time or bathe without help as they can't fit grab rails due to plasterboard walls. I sleep in the small lounge. I only applied based on my needs and I am now wondering if it is worth sending in separate applications for my visually impaired husband, daughter who has non epileptic seizures and my baby son who has a bowel condition and severe reflux. I can't get the kids to the bathroom to help them or to wash the baby and my husband is always bumping into stuff.

I don't want them to think I'm exaggerating the problem or to be a time waster but we are increasingly desperate. We've been looking privately but there is nothing suitable and I know landlords are very reluctant to allow adaptations anyway. Band B will get us nowhere. We have to move out in January and no one at the council will tell me what will have if they can't give us a property and this is significantly impacting on my mental health. Will multiple people having medical needs help?

ripplyuk

Yes, I think it definitely would. I would tell them all the problems that everyone in the family has. I imagine it would all be on one application if you all need rehoused together. Don't worry about them thinking you're a time waster or exaggerating, just explain the issues honestly.

Since you can stay in your current property until January, you might find the council don't do much until then. Properties are in such short supply so it just depends on when an adapted one becomes available but getting a higher priority will mean you're higher up the list. Can you give them any reports from your doctors? Or do you have any sort of support worker who could help?

Good luck. I know how stressful it all is.

marksoton

Sleepymrsp wrote: »

I only applied based on my needs

Why so?

Submitting an application stating all the householders needs can't do any harm surely.

GwylimT

Councils should consider all members of the household, not just the lease holder.

When we needed adapted housing it took around eight months, during this time my wife was bed blocking as she couldn't be released to a suitable home. We did own a home at the time, but it was in negative equity and due to her not working and myself having to reduce my hours for her to be given permission to go home, we simply couldn't afford to widen all doors, fit ramps, grab handles, a wet room, winches or a lift to get her upstairs.

Our council showed me three unsuitable properties as non were suitable for a wheelchair user and they wouldn't provide any adaptions. After refusing three you're struck off the list.

In the end our MP and rehab unit manager applied a lot of pressure, when the rehab unit started charging the council for my wifes care (which they can do for twelve weeks) we were found a suitable home instantly. On moving in we discovered the row of six wheelchair friendly bungalows had all been vacant the whole time!

pmlindyloo

This is Leeds and City Council's letting policy.

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/LCC%20guide%20to%20lettings%20policy%20and%20CBL.pdf

You need to update the council about all your medical needs in order to get into Band A.

Get the help of your doctor, MP and any other medical professionals who will write a letter outlining your family's needs.

It also says that you can apply to individual housing association s - list at end of link so it is certainly worth doing this.

You can also go to CAB for help with your housing needs.

[Deleted User]

I would have thought a B priority would be a great deal better than nothing.

It might be worth giving details of your families needs but with my council, they will only accept evidence from medical or social care professionals. Yours may be different. If you can get this evidence of need, you can then ask for your priority to be reassessed.

With my council, they have this policy of not just doing a mandatory reassessment, you have to prove that the housing you are in is making the health of your family worse (directly worse). With others the evidence of vulnerability or medical need in itself is enough to raise your priority. My council is being very difficult about this.., most aren't quite the same. I hope yours is one of the ones that isn't.