Getting a friend help to get council housing.

dekaspace

Friend was sectioned about 18 months ago, moved back to his dad who harasses him and keeps demanding he leave, his sick pay has ran out and he said he already applied for council housing and got 0 points

This is despite having bad diabetes, history of strokes and sectioned.

This doesn't sound right as right now hes basically living off his dads hospitality who's only income is a basic pension, and lives about 15 miles from nearest town, he does have a car but can't run it as no money for tax and insurance.

GlasweJen

You only get health points if the current house is unsuitable. If the house isn't suitable he needs to get a doctor to agree and write a letter detailing what isn't suitable and what sort of property is.

If his dad is causing his mental health problems to get worse he needs to discuss this with someone from his mental health team and ask them for their support with housing.

If he's single, male and not considered vulnerable (really depends on how severe his health problems are now) then even having a few points won't do much good as waiting lists are massive.

DomRavioli

dekaspace wrote: »

Friend was sectioned about 18 months ago, moved back to his dad who harasses him and keeps demanding he leave, his sick pay has ran out and he said he already applied for council housing and got 0 points

This is despite having bad diabetes, history of strokes and sectioned.

This doesn't sound right as right now hes basically living off his dads hospitality who's only income is a basic pension, and lives about 15 miles from nearest town, he does have a car but can't run it as no money for tax and insurance.

Is he claiming all he is entitled to? ESA as SSP has ran out, PIP if he qualifies?

Not sure why he's living off his dad when he should be claiming benefits if he is unable to work due to illness; his MH team have plenty of staff able to help with referrals and support with housing, benefits and his current situation.

Its also unlikely he would be eligible for housing benefit to help with rent until he claimed a qualifying benefit.

As the above poster stated, if the house is currently safe and fits the medical needs of the applicant, you don't get priority.

I can only suggest your "friend" contacts either his MH team, CAB, or welfare rights for some real information based on their situation.

dekaspace

DomRavioli wrote: »

Is he claiming all he is entitled to? ESA as SSP has ran out, PIP if he qualifies?

Not sure why he's living off his dad when he should be claiming benefits if he is unable to work due to illness; his MH team have plenty of staff able to help with referrals and support with housing, benefits and his current situation.

Its also unlikely he would be eligible for housing benefit to help with rent until he claimed a qualifying benefit.

As the above poster stated, if the house is currently safe and fits the medical needs of the applicant, you don't get priority.

I can only suggest your "friend" contacts either his MH team, CAB, or welfare rights for some real information based on their situation.

The main problem with friend is he gets cofnused due to MH, and he would phone up someone like DWP and get told he can't get benefit and believe them so not apply, same for social work who keep telling him hes not entitled to one but thats because hes not explaining himself well enough (he like another friend shows signs of autism)

The current house is in middle of nowhere, nearest neighbour is about 3 miles away, no bus routes nearby and he needs regular check ups and hospital appointments and right now his nearest hospital is about 2 hours away by bus (and 10 miles to get to town where bus leaves from so add another hour or so)

So I'd say his home is not suitable.

Right now he claims nothing as he gets confused, I have told him to claim ESA and he phones and gets confused so leaves it.

With him being sectioned in past and he even has fits in morning every day he has medical needs.

Lanzarote1938

Where did he live before moving in with his father?

As you have no medical training perhaps you should not be suggesting to people that they are autistic. Living all these miles from anywhere how does he get his prescriptions filled, what happens with these daily 'fits' that i don't suppose you ever see.

dekaspace

Lanzarote1938 wrote: »

Where did he live before moving in with his father?

As you have no medical training perhaps you should not be suggesting to people that they are autistic. Living all these miles from anywhere how does he get his prescriptions filled, what happens with these daily 'fits' that i don't suppose you ever see.

I HAVE autism, he has been SUGGESTED he is on the spectrum.

Don't judge till you know the whole picture, he is a 31 year old virgin with severe anxiety, doesn't understand peoples emotions, has few friends, has speech problems and confusion, he has always been this way.

Find that comment quite rude actually, he gets his prescription when now and again he goes to nearest GP which is about 10 miles away.

You also assume I haven't had contact with the only other clear headed member of his family.

Before he lived with his father he was sectioned, before that he lived in Wales in a bedsit where his brother kept breaking in and stealing which in part contributed to his breakdown as it put him into severe debt, before that he lived in a old farmhouse in middle of nowhere before his mother died of cancer which again contributed to his breakdown, before that he lived near Glasgow and that was last time he was fine, sure he was single and didn't leave house often but saved up enough to get a car, nice computer tv and games consoles, walked to local parks to clear head, had excellent doctors nearby etc.

dekaspace

Jackieboy wrote: »

I didn't think so - that's why I asked.

Exactly, one of the last thing said when I wrote about the bad friend was to reassess the difference between the bad friend and good friend, so once I did I thought I would be there for the good friend especially if hes going to listen to me more.

So with that in mind I can help hin, problem though is he struggles with putting the pressure on getting help from benefits and such, if they tell him he isn't entitled he will take them at face value instead of questioning it.

RuthnJasper

I think your friend should get in touch with Shelter - http://england.shelter.org.uk/?_ga=1.124787267.877052765.1485278161.


They can offer excellent support and advice on housing and related subjects. Definitely a good first port of call.

dekaspace

RuthnJasper wrote: »

I think your friend should get in touch with Shelter - http://england.shelter.org.uk/?_ga=1.124787267.877052765.1485278161.


They can offer excellent support and advice on housing and related subjects. Definitely a good first port of call.

I forgot about Shelter thanks for reminding me, though he lives in Scotland I know Shelter has a Scottish version as well.

chesky

He lives in Scotland and you're in Hampshire - how often do you actually see your friend?

Jackieboy

I've had 2 totally innocuous posts removed from this thread and don't know why.