Housing benefit (Scotland) - renting from friends/family

calcotti

Could see if this helpline can give any relevant advice https://sdafmh.org.uk/who-we-are/
Possibly she will have to accept temporary refuge and then apply to a local authority for help
https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/families_and_households/domestic_abuse/domestic_abuse_and_homelessness

halfajack

poppy12345 said:

You may not see it as anyone else's business but you came here asking for advice, which you were given. If we don't at least know some of the situation then how is anyone supposed to give the advice.

Poppy, that is a good point but that horrible person was not looking to give advice. She was simply looking to mock my post. I fail to see how anything she mentioned would help her to advise me anyway. 

halfajack

calcotti said:

Could see if this helpline can give any relevant advice https://sdafmh.org.uk/who-we-are/
Possibly she will have to accept temporary refuge and then apply to a local authority for help
https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/families_and_households/domestic_abuse/domestic_abuse_and_homelessness

Thanks! Will pass that on. 

poppy12345

halfajack said:

KatrinaWaves said:

Sorry but I don’t see how that makes it better. He is only wanting to better his own financial situation and not his mother escaping an abusive situation. ‘Added benefits’ yeah literally added benefits. 

What’s the space in the mums house got to do with anything? You say she’s being terribly abused?! I’m also struggling to see how an elderly women fleeing domestic abuse cannot be housed in a refuge or alternative housing. Yes it may be a hostel or B&B in the first instance. What was the reason given for them being unable to find her temp or emergency housing? When she divorces the abusive husband will she be getting  a financial amount from joint savings, pensions or property?

  I was asking for solutions and if there aren't any, that's fine. What I don't need is nasty people like you mocking the situation. Go and find another mug to bully. 

I can only see katrina trying to give a solution, regardless of whether you like it or not, it's just an idea. As you've said no one here knows anything about her current situation. I'm sorry but with your attitude then i'll be surprised if you receive anymore help here.

halfajack

Thanks for replying. OK, here are the answers: 
Housing benefit limit has been looked into and the mortgage on the flats Julie is looking at would be covered by it. 
Yes, she needs a property with a lift or ground floor. Warden-assisted not necessary. 
Current housing situation: She is living in a rented house with her husband. They are not getting divorced and therefore I don't think their assets will be shared and they don't have much anyway except for modest savings. 
If son and partner separate - the arrangement with the mother and partner could continue, or perhaps the mother could move in with the son with the newfound space! That's something I think they need to be trusted to work out themselves there rather than us speculating on what might happen. 
What do you mean by housing for the over 60s? Retirement homes? I don't think they've looked into that 

pmlindyloo said:

Let's take out the HB aspect of it and look at some other possible problem areas.  Apologies in advance as have no idea of son's relationship or financial situation.
Given that it looks like the son's partner will be taking out the mortgage would the HB be sufficient to cover the mortgage?  The lady would only be entitled to the one bed rate of the local housing allowance.
Given the lady's age would she require a particular type of property?  NO satirs/warden assisted?
What is the lady's current housing situation?  Is there a joint mortgage on the property?  Joint tenancy?  Are they getting divorced?  Any money/assets to be shared? Answers to all these questions will make a difference to how to proceed.
As regards son's partner taking out a mortgage what would happen if son and partner separated?
Providing a property for the lady may not be as simple as it seems.  In fact, there may be a much simpler answer in the form of housing for the over 60s or helping with finding a private let - both physically and financially. 
So many questions to answer both short term and long term.

halfajack

poppy12345 said:

I can only see katrina trying to give a solution, regardless of whether you like it or not, it's just an idea. As you've said no one here knows anything about her current situation. I'm sorry but with your attitude then i'll be surprised if you receive anymore help here.

Please point out Katrina's solutions - I must need my eyes tested. She started of with sarcasm and mocking and continued to pick apart the situation with a definite bias. I have indeed had more help from nice people, including you. 

KatrinaWaves

halfajack said:

poppy12345 said:

I can only see katrina trying to give a solution, regardless of whether you like it or not, it's just an idea. As you've said no one here knows anything about her current situation. I'm sorry but with your attitude then i'll be surprised if you receive anymore help here.

Please point out Katrina's solutions - I must need my eyes tested. She started of with sarcasm and mocking and continued to pick apart the situation with a definite bias. I have indeed had more help from nice people, including you. 

You came on here wanting to be told what you wanted to hear. It appears this whole
family wants that. They only want help which suits them. 

I actually work with housing victims of DV/A which is how I knew that she hadn’t been turned down for accommodation, and I was right. She had been given an option and she refused it. 

So either she is an abused elderly woman who needs help, and we can give advice for that, or she’s a woman who simply wants to move out from her husband, and we can give advice for that. You can’t pick and choose which aspects of the story you wish to apply to which. We’re big bad meanies for judging the actions of the son wanting to help his elderly abused mother, but she hasn’t even taken the help available herself?! 

KatrinaWaves

You’re acting like 76 is the end of life. It’s not. My grandad was financially abusive and my grandma left him in her early 70s, and divorced him. The only different is because of the financial abuse and him not spending a penny on anything there was plenty to go around in the divorce. 

She moved from a large sprawling bungalow into a very small housing association bungalow. She can luckily afford to pay her own rent from the divorce, and she loves it. She is now 85 and drive around in a bloody MX5. She’s grand. She can go on holiday when she wants and spend her money how she wants. 76 is no age to give up and live with an abuser because it’s the easier option. 

I’m not victim blaming, but they can only help people who actively engage with the help. Believe me the people I usually help, staying is not an option. They’d live under a bridge rather than stay with their abusers. And I’ve dealt with women a lot older than 76. 

halfajack

KatrinaWaves said:

You’re acting like 76 is the end of life. It’s not. My grandad was financially abusive and my grandma left him in her early 70s, and divorced him. The only different is because of the financial abuse and him not spending a penny on anything there was plenty to go around in the divorce. 

She moved from a large sprawling bungalow into a very small housing association bungalow. She can luckily afford to pay her own rent from the divorce, and she loves it. She is now 85 and drive around in a bloody MX5. She’s grand. She can go on holiday when she wants and spend her money how she wants. 76 is no age to give up and live with an abuser because it’s the easier option. 

I’m not victim blaming, but they can only help people who actively engage with the help. Believe me the people I usually help, staying is not an option. They’d live under a bridge rather than stay with their abusers. And I’ve dealt with women a lot older than 76. 

I was looking for advice on the specific situation and you can't give it so please leave me alone (third or fourth time I've asked). 

KatrinaWaves

halfajack said:

KatrinaWaves said:

You’re acting like 76 is the end of life. It’s not. My grandad was financially abusive and my grandma left him in her early 70s, and divorced him. The only different is because of the financial abuse and him not spending a penny on anything there was plenty to go around in the divorce. 

She moved from a large sprawling bungalow into a very small housing association bungalow. She can luckily afford to pay her own rent from the divorce, and she loves it. She is now 85 and drive around in a bloody MX5. She’s grand. She can go on holiday when she wants and spend her money how she wants. 76 is no age to give up and live with an abuser because it’s the easier option. 

I’m not victim blaming, but they can only help people who actively engage with the help. Believe me the people I usually help, staying is not an option. They’d live under a bridge rather than stay with their abusers. And I’ve dealt with women a lot older than 76. 

I was looking for advice on the specific situation and you can't give it so please leave me alone (third or fourth time I've asked). 

You have asked on a public forum, and do not get to control the replies you do not like.

She can either take the routes available or stay. There is no manipulating of the benefit system available to help people in her situation or your sons.

i hope she finds happiness and security one way or another.