Help for Homeless Guy

trafalgar_2

kopicbloodaxe wrote:

Hi there,

I know this isn't really a money-saving question, but thought this forum was a good place to start with this. Feel free to relocate this thread if necessary!

My wife works for our neighbour who runs his own small cleaning business. He interviewed this homeless guy at the job center and found out that he was living in a sort of den that some kids had made in a nearby park. My neighbour decided to employ him as a cleaner to help him get himself out of his situation - he had lost his family and had nowhere else to turn. My neighbour opened a bank account for him and pays his wages into there for him to save towards paying for accomodation. We all gave him some clothes and my neighbour let's him shower and shave at his house. He always works hard and never smells of alcohol and seems a decent enough chap - he even gave a thankyou card to my neighbour for all his help and support.

Now to the crux of the matter - how in the name of all that is holy does he get himself a proper roof over his head??? They've tried contacting the council, local churches and the salvation army (you'd think they'd help, wouldn't you?) but no-one is interested in his case. I believe they're also contacting the Shelter charity but I don't know the outcome yet.

My theory is that if he started speaking with an east european accent and called himself Ivan he'd stand a much better chance of getting a home and some benefits...

So... thoughts? Comments? Suggestion? All gratefully received!

Many thanks,
Simon.

How did he lose his home ,did the council give a reason why they can't help

cjbaps

It may be worth your friend "threatening" to kick him out into the street, and therefore making him homeless - that way the council have to oblige and offer him accomodation. Beware though, because when I worked in Brighton, the council there had a huge problem with over population, and if you didn't accept 1 of 3 properties, you were making yourself intentionally homeless, and the council had nothing more to do with them.

Also worth considering - how is the gentlemans health? May be worth a trip to a GP!? Possibly get a social worker onto the case (although that is probably like getting gold dust - they are overworked as it is).

I still think the media is a good tactic though!!!

Good luck!

fatbelly

A few years ago, I trained and qualified as a CAB adviser. One of my first ‘solo’ clients was a young man about 19 who was sleeping rough at the local railway station. He had been employed at a holiday park but at the end of the season the park closed and he lost both his job and accommodation. Meanwhile his mum had made a homelessness application (for herself) and was now in B & B accommodation – he couldn’t join her.

I went through the CAB information system looking for something that would class him as both homeless and ‘in priority need’. You need both aspects before the local authority has a legal requirement to provide housing. He wasn’t mentally ill, disabled, not fostered, not ex-forces, not ex-offender etc, etc. Just a normal 19-year old with nowhere to live. So not 'in priority need.

I couldn’t believe that no-one had a duty to house him, so phoned Shelter, and their adviser ran through the same list with me. I was amazed, and remember the Shelter-man’s comment: ‘It’s s**t, isn’t it?’

Finally, we got him referred to a local church-based homeless charity that had a night shelter and contact with homeless-friendly landlords. We’re very fortunate to have them in the area. I lost contact with him but think he got sorted out.

I just wanted to tell the story to illustrate how easy it is to become homeless and how little support for them is actually built in to our legislation.

welf_man

I'm afraid Fatbelly is right - the council only has a duty to house "vulnerable" people (and that's down to successive Govt. policies, not council ones!).

Unless there is something in this man's history or health that makes him vulnerable (CAB can check that) the council only has to provide advice and information to help him secure accommodation - this is usually lists of local landlords and B+B hotels.

A hostel or B+B might be a start - they're not always grim - but I would get him to CAB a.s.a.p. so they can assess the situation.

Good luck - and congratulations to you and your neighbour for helping. There but for the grace of God, I always think ...

Mel.

dag_2

My neighbour decided to employ him as a cleaner to help him get himself out of his situation - he had lost his family and had nowhere else to turn.

I hate to say it, but when you start considering yourself charitable for giving your staff their jobs in the first place, you will stir up some very bitter resentment.

No-one wants a McJob. Yes, I'm grateful that I've got a job - but my boss absolutely isn't doing me any favours. So I don't owe her anything in return - outside what it says in the job description during normal working hours.

So I'd advise your neighbour to tread carefully on this one. In particular, I'd advise him to be discreet, and not mouth off about it. Whether his employee is homeless or not - either way, it's embarrassing, and disrespectful.

Let's face it ...

Now to the crux of the matter - how in the name of all that is holy does he get himself a proper roof over his head???

I don't suppose your neighbour is offering to be a guarantor for his worker's rent, is he? No? Thought not.

Now that we've got it in perspective ....

bestyman says

The council have a legal obligation to house this man providing that he is not intentionally homeless.

I'm afraid that's not actually true. The council's only legal obligation is to provide accommodation for those in "priority need" - ie, homeless families with dependent children, or homeless people with disabilities or learning difficulties. It's sad that one grown-up bloke is homeless - but it's even sadder when it's a whole family of vulnerable children. The fact that he's got a job means he's got it better than some.

Bestyman - We'll keep on at the council, etc. I would offer to rent a room to him but don't have the space - we're in the middle of redecorating to sell the house and the spare room has the computer and all the other stuff that we've put out of the way.

That's fine. You don't need to justify your own actions - after all, there's absolutely no way that you - or anyone else - is going to make serious inroads into the homelessness problem merely by putting the odd dude up now and then. Really - your own family does come first - like you say.

JJ says

I would definately suggest that you get the local paper involved, not only will it hopefully make social services sit up and listen but you may get the attention of someone who can help this man directly either by offering him lodgings or other support.

Again - embarrassing for our homeless hero. Talking to the press about people without their permission, and without involving them, is very disrespectful. He'll struggle to hold his head up high in the area once his face has been splashed all over the local papers.

lee3276 says

It make you think shall I just give up work have 25 kids get a mansion pay no taxes and live a life of luxery.

Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. I think your neighbour has done a lot more to be proud of than that.

cjbaps says

It may be worth your friend "threatening" to kick him out into the street, and therefore making him homeless - that way the council have to oblige and offer him accomodation.

That's a better idea. When you have formal notice of possession, you become "officially" homeless - but your neighbour never did grant his worker a tenancy, did he? So I think he's probably been "officially" homeless all along. It still hasn't solved the problem.

cjbaps also says

Also worth considering - how is the gentlemans health? May be worth a trip to a GP!? Possibly get a social worker onto the case

I agree and encourage this very strongly. Getting him to a GP will probably be much easier than getting him into someone else's residential property. And once he's in touch with a GP, he's in touch with "the system", and things might move a bit more quickly.

He wasn’t mentally ill, disabled, not fostered, not ex-forces, not ex-offender etc, etc. Just a normal 19-year old with nowhere to live. So not 'in priority need.

Quite. Of course, long-term homeless people often develop mental illnesses or disabilities as a result of their homelessness, thereby putting themselves in priority need. Cold comfort - but that's the way it is. Sometimes, they die before that happens.

And sometimes, they start offending too. Although a prison inmate's life expectancy is lower than the average, it's still twenty years longer than that of a long-term homeless person - so it's hardly surprising that homeless people break the law from time to time. Life on the outside really does need to be better than life on the inside - because if it's not, then ex-offenders will carry on reoffending. However, I'm not suggesting that we violate prisoners' human rights.

I think you can make a difference. It's good that you're learning about the problems that homeless people face. You're doing someone else a favour, but you're doing yourself a favour too. God willing it will never happen, but the bank might repossess, and you might be homeless yourself one day - so it's wise to be prepared for it.

kopicbloodaxe

Thankyou all for your support and advice so far. I will keep you posted of developments.

november

Following the correct info given regarding councils not having to help homeless people who are not in priority need there are organisations who do help. Deposit bond schemes help people who are homeless and need to move into private rented accommodation with both advice and help with a deposit (usually by providing a deposit guarantee). To see if there is one covering your area try here http://www.nrdf.org.uk/map.asp?cat=20 (Thats a link to the National Rent Deposit Forum's 'search for a scheme' page which lists all their members nationally)

bestyman

My appologies for the incorrect info regarding the legal obligation to house people. My mum has had a B and B for homeless people for 25 years and I lived there 10 years . Speaking from experience anyone who went to the council with an eviction letter ( sometimes they would ask for one ) got a flat . Maybe times change, maybe surplus of 1 bed flats in leeds ? Maybe its because a lot of the guys there were alcoholics and got priority that way ? A few of them used to drink beer then go to the doctors saying they were alcoholics because they got more benefit that way .
Anyhow full details on shelter website but I guess you already looked.

Re. your daughter I don`t mean to offend anyone by the following comments ( esp. Dag ) but having been in contact or living with homeless people for 20 odd years I would say that like all people there are good and bad in them all. . Some are victims of very bad parents, others made silly mistakes and ended up in jail, Some were from marriage breakdowns and simply couldn`t hack it . Others with mental problems , others with drug problems and some were just simply unlucky. Some saw living at the b and b as an easy life.
99% were nice people, some of whom became good friends. A small minority were not.
When my kids go stay with my mum I am aware of the dangers and tell the kids about strangers, not just homeless strangers but all strangers. It`s sometimes difficult to figure out why these people have lost contact with family and friends and human nature is to think the worst in people when your kids are involved. Trust your judgement , thats all I can say.

Bestyman

klare_2

Hi there
I actually work in the 'homelessness' industry ( cant think of a better way to put it) and theres been some really good advice given already. The sad fact is in a lot of areas that even for people who are classed as vunerable there simply are no properties to offer them whether they have mental / physical health issues etc. ( when minors are involved it is slightly different). The fact that he is currently living in a den that you have made him still means that he is classed as homeless because under the housing act this isn't considered to be suitable accomodation so please carry on witht he good work you are doing.
The charity I work for NACRO specialises in homing people who have offended but also people who are AT RISK of offending which basically covers anyone who doesnt have a suitable roof over their head and they will also consider people from different areas where as many councils will only look at people how have been in the area for a year and even then their lists are so long its almost pointless. you can go the NACRO website https://www.nacro.org.uk and that will provide you with contact info etc as I dont know what area you are in. Obviously Im a bit biased because I work for them but they / we do some fabulous work and they will also be able to give you information as to where else you can approach.
Hope this helps
:A

Phonix

This may sonud like a shot in the dark but does the guy have any qualifications?

Maybe he could apply for jobs and use your address as the contact address so he'd recieve all his mail to your address. Once he gets a good job he'll be able to approach landlords more confidently. He'll also be able to use you as a reference. As he's homeless there's no reason why he has to keep his job hunting in the immediete area.