Council house and housing questions

Hectory

Hi, sorry a little lengthy...

I've been on the wait list for a council house for over a year now. I acknowledge that that is not very long in comparison to others. I also applied to a few other council boroughs, two have rejected me and I still haven't heard a reply from all the others despite the fact its been several months since I filled in the application forms.

My questions are:

if i don't hear anything from the ones i've applied to, does this mean they have accepted me or rejected me? how do i chase them up?

how do i chase up after the one that i am on. i know its a cheek but what i'm saying is is there any way to get myself higher up the band, the need to have my own council place is kind of an urgency (i know, it is for many people) in my case its a matter of life and death. i live in a toxic environment that is detrimental to my mental health, i won't go too much into detail but i'm feeling very... well not safe. and yes i have included all this in my application forms. is there something i can say or do to get a council property quicker?

as i'm just a single person they said they (the one borough that has so far put me on their list) were only putting me on the list for a one-bed apartment (originally they said studio) however i need a 2-bed for a live-in carer and from what i can remember i did say this in my email to them but it seems as if they ignored it. anyways is there a possibility of them offering me a 2-bed accommodation IF i agree to pay bedroom tax? or does that not make a difference?

and lastly - is housing benefit only given to people living in council properties? or if i was to just find a flat for rent and rent it, will i be eligible to receive housing benefit to help me pay towards that? is that a good alternative option? i am on pip and esa for my mental health problems. i just want to move out.

sevenhills

Hectory wrote: »

and lastly - is housing benefit only given to people living in council properties? or if i was to just find a flat for rent and rent it, will i be eligible to receive housing benefit to help me pay towards that? is that a good alternative option? i am on pip and esa for my mental health problems. i just want to move out.

If you are eligible for housing benefit, you can get in when living in a council house or privately renting.

sheramber

If you are renting privately you will only get the local authority allowance, not necessarily the whole rent paid.

You can check online the amount for the local authority concerned.

If they consider you are only due a one bed property then the allowance will be that for a one bed property regardless of how many bedrooms you have.

pmlindyloo

When you say you need two bedrooms for a live in carer, would this carer be on the tenancy agreement?

If they are then you could get a two bedroomed private property.

Do you work? Does your carer work?

Hectory

thank you for all the replies

pmlindyloo - nope am not working and my carer simply gets carer allowance to look after me, they are not working either. my carer is a family member and... well I've never really considered whether I would put them on the tenancy agreement or not. but I guess I'd have to in order to get that spare room.

elsien

The other areas that you applied to, have you checked that you meet their elibility criteria - local connection is usually in there somewhere.
To increase your banding/priority you will need supporting evidence from a professional. GP, social worker, CPN etc. When you say you need a live in carer, can you evidence the level of support that you need particularly at night? Not everyone claiming carers allowance for relatives live with them so having a family member providing care does not automatically mean you need a live in carer. What assessments have to had to state that you need this?
It's not enough to just make a statement on an application form.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Is there a reason you can't rent privately? If you are, as you say, unsafe, surely you'd be better off getting a private rental now as opposed to waiting - possibly years depending on the location - for social housing?

[Deleted User]

There is no magic trick to push your self up the waiting list. It might help if you explained what the "toxic environment" is and why a move is a "matter of life and death" in order to advise further.
If you don't want to tell us have you considered talking to CAB for advice?

teddysmum

Being on a waiting list gives no guarantee that you will get accommodation. If people were served in order of application then you would move up the list, but people joining with higher priority will push you lower and it's this together with a shortage of properties that means people have to wait, often for several years and still with no offer forthcoming.