Advice needed on moving to a different area.

saintscouple

Here goes, hope i´ve got the right category. 

My step son tried to take his life a few weeks ago and is currently in a mental establishment - he was / is on universal credit and was renting a 1 bedroom place. 
Due to an incident which prompted his attempt to take his own life, he longer feels safe to return where he lives..... this is in East Sussex.

We feel it´s in his best interest (and he agrees) that he should move closer to us in Oxfordshire so we can provide him with the support he needs. There is no family near to where he lives now. 

I was on the assumption he would have to join the housing register here, to whom i did approach, and they also gave me a health and welfare form to be completed to support his application.

But my son has told me he wouldn´t be able to get housing benefit as he´s on universal credit.... i don´t know if this is true?

We have found an ideal apartment near us, and using the bedroom calculator and LHA rates it would only be £6 more a week he would have to pay. 

Please can anyone give any advice on how we can proceed to make this move happen, even if we miss this property he still needs to move to have our support. 

I am on ESA support group myself, and we don´t have a spare bedroom, but happy for him to sleep in the lounge whilst trying to get this move sorted.

Thank you. 

Alice_Holt

His UC claim can include a housing element (this replaces HB) when tenancy details have been supplied to UC.

He would need to notify UC that he is / has vacated his rented property in East Sussex and no longer has a rental liability there.
Also the LA re Council Tax reduction (if claimed).

I am unsure about UC paying the housing element (and the LA CTr) if he is not residing there due to medical necessity. Your local advice charity or Shelter may be able to explain this.

Is he in receipt of PIP.?

Brie

Your local citizens advice may be able to help.  Or Shelter as already mentioned.  Also some food banks have homelessness prevention as their remit so you might check on them too to see who can help you soonest as everyone is very busy.  

I'd be reluctant to suggest he sleeps at yours as that effectively gives him a home so the council may be less inclined to assist. 

Brie

Not sure if this is very local to you but might be a place to start.

Homelessness prevention | Aspire Oxfordshire Community Enterprise Ltd

saintscouple

Alice_Holt said:

His UC claim can include a housing element (this replaces HB) when tenancy details have been supplied to UC.

He would need to notify UC that he is / has vacated his rented property in East Sussex and no longer has a rental liability there.
Also the LA re Council Tax reduction (if claimed).

I am unsure about UC paying the housing element (and the LA CTr) if he is not residing there due to medical necessity. Your local advice charity or Shelter may be able to explain this.

Is he in receipt of PIP.?

Thank you, yes he is in receipt of PIP.

saintscouple

Done some more research as CAB, etc not open when the replies came through, but will double check with them today. 
Looks like he simply has to report a change of circumstances to UC and give new address and rent details - they will then assess and move his claim to the local job centre. 

Next thing though is to confirm the notice he has to give at his existing place. 

Hopefully it is this simple. 

poppy12345

Yes it will just be a change of address for UC. If he lives with you to start with then he won't be able to claim for help with any rent.

If he moves out of his current address to live with you then he will need to report those changes as well and help with the rent will stop.

saintscouple

poppy12345 said:

Yes it will just be a change of address for UC. If he lives with you to start with then he won't be able to claim for help with any rent.

If he moves out of his current address to live with you then he will need to report those changes as well and help with the rent will stop.

Thank you, yes, we´ll go with him moving directly to his new address and not stay with us.... The process will be simpler then.