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Who is your mental health worker? Do you have a social worker or someone from the local mental health team? Can you ask them to put you onto the waiting list for social housing? It seems to me that someone who has the kind of mental health issues that put you into hospital should be being housed in social housing as I hope you would be deemed to be a vulnerable person.0
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HampshireH wrote: »It does sound like your banding is incorrect and should be a 1 bedroom benefit (therefore you pay the underoccupancy % for the 2nd room)
I would challenge your banding and seek for it to be backdated!
Surely the rate you receive should be for HMO type accommodation
Goodluck
Thanks, I will certainly enquire and try to challenge this. However, I have just been looking into it further and as a single person aged 30 it looks like I get the rate for shared accommodation rather than one bedroom because the criteria for single people under 35 is that they only need a bedroom in shared accommodation. Again, as with a 1 bedroom property I wouldn't necessarily mind shared accommodation given I have done so prior to living here with parents, then prior to my MH issues becoming severe for 7 years with friends while at University / working locally and in China but in this region they are the same price or more expensive than these 2 bedroom properties so wouldn't make any difference cost-wise. Perhaps it can be challenged on that basis but the rule seems generic and would not take into account these local circumstances, perhaps the council would - I will have to enquire!
"You are usually in shared accommodation if you have sole use of one bedroom and share one or more of a kitchen, bathroom, toilet, living room or dining room.
If you are eligible for Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit, your entitlement will be based on you needing one bedroom in shared accommodation unless you:
Are over 35 and living in self-contained accommodation with at least one bedroom;
Are a couple and living in self-contained accommodation with at least one bedroom;
Qualify for a severe disability premium;
Are a care leaver aged over 18 and under 22;
Are aged 25 or over and have been in a hostel for the homeless for three months and received support to resettle in the community;
Are a recent offender deemed to be a risk to the public"0 -
Who is your mental health worker? Do you have a social worker or someone from the local mental health team? Can you ask them to put you onto the waiting list for social housing? It seems to me that someone who has the kind of mental health issues that put you into hospital should be being housed in social housing as I hope you would be deemed to be a vulnerable person.
That's a whole different issue that I could discuss for days about both the mental health services and social housing being underfunded and under resourced but it is what it is and unlikely to change under the current government!
To summarise as briefly as possible. I don't have a mental health worker/support worker or team. I did have both for 3 years after being sectioned but was then discharged to my GP as is routine for most people are unless they are deemed a significant danger to themselves or others or their condition requires enhanced day-to-day care.
I have bipolar disorder and was very bad and could not function or leave the house and carry out many basic tasks for 2 years after my breakdown and hospitalisation in 2013 but prior to that I was undiagnosed and very high-functioning. I am much better and more stable now and getting there, hopefully not too far from work so am able to live independently and always go to the bottom of the very long list for social housing / support.
For the last 3.5 years since I have been doing better I have been volunteering at a mental health support group and the situations some people are in who are far worse than me is truly appalling and really shines a light on the issues we are facing in this area. Even though I have seen it up close it is difficult to imagine what somebody who is less capable than I am currently has to go through with things in their illness and daily life as many people who are much more vulnerable and able to function than I am do not get anywhere near the support that they need.0 -
Do you claim PIP? It sounds as if you might qualify for it (due to your chronic ill health) and I think that might put you into the realms of a discretionary increase in your HB (allowing you to claim the 1 bedroom amount, rather than the shared).
I appreciate there are a lot of 'mights' in that scenario, it would be worth posting on the 'benefits' board if you think it is relevant.It's not difficult!
'Wander' - to walk or move in a leisurely manner.
'Wonder' - to feel curious.0 -
That's a whole different issue that I could discuss for days about both the mental health services and social housing being underfunded and under resourced but it is what it is and unlikely to change under the current government!
To summarise as briefly as possible. I don't have a mental health worker/support worker or team. I did have both for 3 years after being sectioned but was then discharged to my GP as is routine for most people are unless they are deemed a significant danger to themselves or others or their condition requires enhanced day-to-day care.
I have bipolar disorder and was very bad and could not function or leave the house and carry out many basic tasks for 2 years after my breakdown and hospitalisation in 2013 but prior to that I was undiagnosed and very high-functioning. I am much better and more stable now and getting there, hopefully not too far from work so am able to live independently and always go to the bottom of the very long list for social housing / support.
For the last 3.5 years since I have been doing better I have been volunteering at a mental health support group and the situations some people are in who are far worse than me is truly appalling and really shines a light on the issues we are facing in this area. Even though I have seen it up close it is difficult to imagine what somebody who is less capable than I am currently has to go through with things in their illness and daily life as many people who are much more vulnerable and able to function than I am do not get anywhere near the support that they need.
Here is the situation as I see it. Just because you are high functioning doesn't mean that you as a person with a disability even if very well controlled should not be able to get social housing. Many people who live in social housing work so it isn't just for people who can't work.
Just to let you know that I understand about bipolar disorder. In about 45 mins I am going out to do my volunteer job at my local mental health centre.0 -
Do you claim PIP? It sounds as if you might qualify for it (due to your chronic ill health) and I think that might put you into the realms of a discretionary increase in your HB (allowing you to claim the 1 bedroom amount, rather than the shared).
I appreciate there are a lot of 'mights' in that scenario, it would be worth posting on the 'benefits' board if you think it is relevant.
Yeah I have twice tried and been rejected, it's a lot more difficult to get PIP and even the higher rate of ESA which I do get for people with mental illness although the assessments / scoring are being changed allegedly to make it easier. Many people who are far worse off than me have also been rejected at the group I volunteer with but others who are doing better have been accepted!0 -
Here is the situation as I see it. Just because you are high functioning doesn't mean that you as a person with a disability even if very well controlled should not be able to get social housing. Many people who live in social housing work so it isn't just for people who can't work.
Just to let you know that I understand about bipolar disorder. In about 45 mins I am going out to do my volunteer job at my local mental health centre.
Yeah I'm not saying I don't qualify and I put myself back on the waiting list when this property went up for sale after being removed when i took this privately rented property in 2015. But there is not much about that I would fit the criteria for, the waiting list is very long, and there are many people who are prioritised ahead of me.
I was on the list for 10 weeks while I was sectioned and was ready to be discharged after 6 weeks but had to stay in 'voluntarily' for another month to find somewhere to live. In that case my mental health situation was far worse and having nowhere to go made me more of a priority case but I was still a long way off after 10 weeks so I had to go private.
Kudos to you for volunteering at a mental health centre, with the system being so under resourced anyone who helps out is a huge help, which is why I've been doing all I can myself and anyone who gives up their own time to help out has my highest respect, not just for mental health but in the many other areas where the systems in place are insufficient.0 -
Yeah I have twice tried and been rejected, it's a lot more difficult to get PIP and even the higher rate of ESA which I do get for people with mental illness although the assessments / scoring are being changed allegedly to make it easier. Many people who are far worse off than me have also been rejected at the group I volunteer with but others who are doing better have been accepted!
What I am being told with regards to PIP is that you have to try several times. You may also need someone with experience in applying for it with a mental illness to help you. CAB might be able to help. Lots of these things appear to require perseverance which is not what people with a mental illness need.0 -
What I am being told with regards to PIP is that you have to try several times. You may also need someone with experience in applying for it with a mental illness to help you. CAB might be able to help. Lots of these things appear to require perseverance which is not what people with a mental illness need.
Yeah the first time I had my two mental health professionals help me and I've wrote many for our group members as most of them would struggle and I do all the organisation fundraising, admin, office work etc as well as things like that for the members - very mixed successes that seem to have no logic at all, a lot of it is down to the assessor on the day.
Even with ESA the work-capability assessment for the higher rate Support Group I was denied first time round just after coming out of hospital when I was at my worst, a year later when improved I got it!
Now I think there is virtually no chance if I applied again as I am so much better and should be back to work in the next 12 months, which would solve this issue if I was earning a decent wage again compared to the pittance I get currently plus housing benefit but right now it is awful and very stressful which isn't helping my recovery!
The Selective Licencing people at the council have been very helpful and this initiative is there to try and improve the deprived areas by not only rooting out bad tenants but also improve the behaviour of landlords and letting agents and they have been extremely unhappy with the issue and are applying a lot of pressure so hopefully it will help in the short term to deal with the situation!0 -
No need to answer this publically but if you were section 3 detained and still requiring help/assistance due to your mental health then the local authority should be providing 117 aftercareAn answer isn't spam just because you don't like it......0
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