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Hi, my name is Zoe4231!

Zoe4231

Hi, im

Looking for some advice, I'm am currently receiving old style works support group esa and Low rate care and mobility PIP.

I have a two bed flat and live alone. My 27 year old son and his girlfriend who have a joint claim for univeral credit have become homeless and are currently sleeping in the car as the local council can't give them temororay accommodation. The housing oofficer had asked if I could take them in for two to three weeks while the local council apply help them find a private rented property, the council have agreed tinpay their first months rent and deposit but in the I trim my son and his girlfriend need somewhere to stay.

If I allow them to stay temporarily, will this effect my benefits, council tax, disabled premium etc?

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Comments

Jimm_Alumni

Hi @Zoe4231, welcome to the community. 🙂 That does sound like quite a horrible situation, hopefully the council can sort something out as soon as possible.

About how it could affect you, your PIP will not be affected at all. Do you receive any kind of council tax discounts and if so do you know the reason?

Zoe4231

Hi Jim_Scope

I'm in old style esa, with severe disability premium, I have single persons discount for council tax. Which I think I will lose if I was to take my son and his girlfriend in. Would taking them in also trigger a change of circumstance so that would trigger me being changed from esa to UC which would also make me worse off as they don’t pay severe disability premium.

The homeless housing officer has asked me to take them both in and said it would not effect my benefits at all. She wants them to stay with me temporaraly for around 3 weeks, until they can find a private rented property which the local council will fund with the first months rent and the deposit but it takes around three weeks for the funding to be released. Does anyone know how many nights they are allowed to stay with me without it effecting my benefit claim?

luvpink

@Zoe4231

It sounds like the council are passing the buck here.

Surely they have a duty to find homeless people temporary accommodation.

(They do where I live)

It may be outside of the area where the homeless people are from and it is usually a b&b room approved by the council so that persons can go on the council waiting list.

The fact you have two bedrooms and if you agree to take them in would jeopordise their position as they would no longer be regarded as homeless.

The thing they will need to consider is how realistic is it for them to find private rented accommodation.

If this were me I would seek advise from somewhere like cab or Shelter and request it in writing from the homeless officer that he/she is unable to offer them temporary accommodation, why he/she assumes they will only need to stay with you for only a few weeks, what evidence can be provided to prove that private rented accomodation can be found that quickly and written confirmation that the council will provide the first few months rent.

It all sounds very odd to me.

Zoe4231

luvpink

Thank you, this is what I also think, I mentioned duty of care she said that the only way to trigger emergency housing would be if my son had any other support such as a crisis team, social worker, probation etc, regardless to his diagnosis of combined ADHD, Opersitional Defiance Disorder and ASD. My sons and his girlfriend were living with her parents but sadly his girlfriends mum passed away three months ago and her Dad has turned to drink and has become violent towards both of them, then threw them out of the house a week ago. So they are both fleeing from domestic violence, my son’s girlfriend is extremely depressed and has now been signed off from work by her doctor. Again the homeless officer at the council says this isnt enough to trigger emergency housing or duty of care.
I have already told her once that my son is unable to stay with me due to his diagnosis and that I am disabled myself physically and suffer with bi polar. Again she said that is not enough to trigger temporary housing. All they can offer is one months rent and a deposit if they find a landlord that is willing to accept benefits or that they have have a list of landlords that work with the council to house those on benefits, but the whole process takes a few weeks.
she also denied that allowing my son and his girlfriend would effect my benefits, such as the disability premium and single persons allowance.
I’m really stuck as to what to do to help and worried sick about them sleeping in the car.