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Help with finding a home

Hi there,

I am writing this in behalf of a very dear friend whom I have known for a long long time.

Basically, my friend is 23 years old and she was born with cateracts and as such has very very poor eyesight despite multiple operations and lense implants. It is so bad that she cannot drive.

This is where the problem lies. Basically, she was living with her parents and found a local job where she is progressing up the ladder. She has worked at this job for years to support herself despite the fact that she could have been claiming benefits because her sight is that bad.

Anyway, her parents have decided to move far away and have given her the option of going with them. If she does, she will have no friends and no job and find it very difficult to gain employment because of her eyes and lack of transport. She would dearly like to stay in the job she has worked so hard at but she doesn't earn that much (about £180 p.w) and is finding it difficult to find a home within her budget and locally.

She has been refused help from the council in re-homing as she works and hasn't registered herslef as having a disability. She also cannot claim housing benefit for this reason. She desperately needs a home locally so that she can stay in employment. Just a small bedsit would be enough. She has saved up enough for a bond and furniture but cannot find anything in the area cheap enough.

If she registered her disability or got a doctors letter, would they find her a local home or at least help with housing benefit? Alternatively, is there any way she can get help with transport costs because she works shifts and cannot rely on buses late at night and early mornings?:confused:

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. She lives in South Wales (Cross-Hands)(I doubt that is of consequence but some rules are different in Wales so I thought it worth mentioning). I shall be posting this on the benefits board too. Many thanks.
Wildly my mind beats against you, yet the soul obeys. :heartpuls

Murphys "No more pies club" member #70


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Comments

  • cattie
    cattie Posts: 8,841
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    The fact that she is working & hasn't registered her disability will have nothing to do with why the council say they can't help her at this point or grant her housing benefit.

    First of all she needs to get herself on the housing list. The council can't refuse her registering.

    As things stand at the moment your friend isn't in housing need as she is living with her parents. When they know they are moving they will need to give her a letter to say that she has to be out by a certain date & she should then take this to the local council.

    Getting registered disabled & getting a letter from her gp won't get her housing benefit as housing benefit is paid irrespective of whether you're disabled or not, as long as you qualify because of income. It may help her in trying to secure suitable housing when her parents move though as she can possibly be considered a vulnerable person because of her eyesight.

    You may find Shelter useful for advise http://england.shelter.org.uk/home/index.cfm

    It should be possible to find out from the local council how much housing benefit you friend may qualify for on her income if she were to find a bedsit or room to rent somewhere.
    The bigger the bargain, the better I feel.

    I should mention that there's only one of me, don't confuse me with others of the same name.
  • eamon
    eamon Posts: 2,319
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    Get her down to your local CAB and they will help with the following. Your friend needs to get herself registered disabled. This will trigger disabled tax credits and may also trigger working tax credits as well. This can quite easily raise her income level by a substantial amount and make renting a home more possible.

    I also agree with other posters, she needs to get on the public housing lists both with the local council (housing trust) and with local housing associations. Getting herself registered disabled also raises her points score for public housing!

    yours

    Eamon
  • pink_phantom
    pink_phantom Posts: 733 Forumite
    That shelter site was esxcellent, really useful thanks. I did an on-line assessment as to weather she was entitled to housing and it said that she was classed as a "vulnerable person" so they have an obligation to house her.
    Wildly my mind beats against you, yet the soul obeys. :heartpuls

    Murphys "No more pies club" member #70


    Vivit post funera virtus
  • Jorgan_2
    Jorgan_2 Posts: 2,270 Forumite
    Sorry can't help with the benefit side of things, does she want to stay in Crosshands itself, its not a large village/town, or is she willing to move around the local area? Has she approached the local agents to see what is available rental wise?

    As far as private rentals go have you tried speaking to G. LLoyd Williams in Cross Hands? He sometimes deals with rentals & I am told he has a number of properties he rents out, including bedsits.

    Like to point out I have no connection with this person/company.
  • pink_phantom
    pink_phantom Posts: 733 Forumite
    Yes we have tried that estate agents. There is hardly any available as X is a bit of a hot spot so nothing within her price range. She has found a flat in Tumble that she could afford with a little extra so I am trying to get her disbility living allowance so that she can afford it.x
    Wildly my mind beats against you, yet the soul obeys. :heartpuls

    Murphys "No more pies club" member #70


    Vivit post funera virtus
  • Jorgan_2
    Jorgan_2 Posts: 2,270 Forumite
    Best of luck, is she ok to live in Tumble? I have to ask as I was to talking to somebody in X once who was having second thoughts over the house she was buying in Tumble as her friends & family were moaning about how far away she was going to be living from them.
  • pink_phantom
    pink_phantom Posts: 733 Forumite
    Unfortunately she doens't really have a choice because houses are so hard to come by.xx
    Wildly my mind beats against you, yet the soul obeys. :heartpuls

    Murphys "No more pies club" member #70


    Vivit post funera virtus
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