No furniture in my flat

liam

I have been living in my council flat for 4 weeks and have absolutely nothing I'm sleeping on the floor and my back and legs are killing me. I have mental health problems which are getting worse since I moved here. I've tried to get stuff but even on sites with stuff for free in have no furniture so can't collect anything. I get £120 every 2 weeks which is have to buy food , electric,  gas and pay my bills out of. How is it that u get a flat and they expect you to suffer with absolutely nothing I'm suicidal at this point how can I just get a matress ? I can't sleep on this hard floor 1 more night

CockneyRebel

Hi Liam and welcome

I am so sorry that you are in this position, it is very hard to start in your own place.

Please call the Scope help line as they may be able tooffer some suggestions

CR

Sam_Scope

Hi Liam I am really sorry to hear you are struggling, it is concerning to hear you say you feel suicidal.  Please do reach out for help. MIND's advice for getting help right now is:

If you don't feel you can keep yourself safe right now, seek immediate help.

• go to any hospital A&E department (sometimes known as the emergency department)
• call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you can't get to A&E
• ask someone else to contact 999 for you or take you to A&E immediately

If you need some support right now, but don't want to go to A&E, here are some other options for you to try:

• contact the Samaritans on freephone 116 123, they're open 24 hours and are there to listen
• contact your GP for an emergency appointment or the out of hours team
• call NHS 111 (England) or NHS Direct 0845 46 47 (Wales)
• contact your local crisis team
• click the yellow 'I need urgent help' button on the Mind website for more options
• see our page on helping yourself cope right now, and on crisis services.

You can also call the Scope helpline on 0808 800 3333 to speak to someone and see if they can offer any information or signposting to someone who can help.  @Debbie_Scope do you have any thoughts?

Are you claiming everything you are entitled to? Try the benefits calculator to check this, and you can also search for grants here.

Take care and do come back and chat with us here.

[Deleted User]

Hi Liam,

Really sorry to hear that things are so difficult at the moment for you, there is help available.

If you email us at the helpline with your phone number and postcode we can call you back and have a chat about your situation and assist you to find support with getting some furniture.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best Wishes,

Zoe

Scope helpline

Sam_Scope

The helpline email is [email protected] - thanks @Zoe_Scope

Markmywords

It might be possible to find a few things on Freecycle.

Matilda

You could buy an air bed cheap from a supermarket that has a large household dept or from a department store - in person or online. A couple of years ago someone I know bought an air bed from Asda for £10.

British Heart  Foundation if you have a shop near you sell 2nd hand furniture cheap.  Your local authority social services dept might have a store of 2nd hand furniture.

thespiceman

Hello @Liam Please can I say am I sorry you are going through this.  I hope you will speak to someone at SCOPE.  This is a message of support and I wish you the best.  Reading I see you rent from a council I do know councils have a duty to support you and advise you if you have a disability or mental health condition.  I know this because I have met people who are in a similar position to yourself.  I hope and pray you can get help and support.  Please can I advise also speak to your GP they should be supporting you as well.  Speaking from personal experience it is never easy and I am not being patronising.  I was in my first home and try to budget what is needed to live on.  Which was not a lot.   I understand how hard this.  Please take care and I hope you get advice and help and support.  

Debbie_Scope

Hi @liam,

This isn't right, do you have a housing officer and what have they suggested? Have they signposted you to local sources of support?

Your local council may have a local welfare assistance scheme which you can apply to for help. If they can't help they should be able to signpost you to local charities or schemes which help with furniture. The link above will help you find details of your local council's scheme (if they have one).

There are also budgeting loans but are loans and repayable from your benefits, not ideal if you're already stretched but the option is there if needed.

Facebook now has a marketplace where you can look for items cheap or free. If you don't have access to Facebook ask a friend, family or neighbours if they could search on there for you.

If you get stuck let me know which council you come under and I'll have a look to see what's available. I know it seems really bleak at the moment but please don't give up. It's not easy setting up home for the first time and it's expensive too but there is help, we just need to find it.

Best wishes
Debbie

liam

Thanks for the replys I was living in a homeless hostel in Birmingham for 9 months and accepted a flat in Wolverhampton. Because I moved areas I was refused the local welfare provision and I was homeless sleeping rough in London before I was sent to Birmingham. A couple months after I moved there i got a budgeting loan to buy clothes and other things which I am still paying back so I get less benefits money because of that. Im originally from Ireland and moved to London as have family there and was born in Islington. After sleeping rough for 5 months I got into an assessment hub but they sent me to Birmingham where I don' know anybody.I've looked on freecycle sites and jumble sales but even stuff for free needs collecting and I have no transport. I'e emailed Wolverhampton adult social services to ask for help but had no reply. I came here to make a fresh start and was doing well my mental health improved and felt good until I took this flat and since then I've had nothing but problems. I'e no fridge or washing machine have to pay laundrette to wash clothes and my back is broke on this floor. It' a way different system here than in Ireland back there we have commnity welfare officers who u can go see tell them of the situation and they help you with funds to get what you need besides that most places are fully furnished nobody is ever left without anything. I appeciate all the kind words from the comments and will keep my head up I'll get there eventually 

thespiceman

Hello @Liam Thank you for reply I would like to say the way you been treated I feel for you. I had this waiting for reply from social services.  Only solution was to go to Social services and make a fuss not be rude but go down and make them aware of situation.  That is the answer my friend I know I sat their for hours and in the end got through to them.  I hope that everything works out

liam

Thank you if I don't get email back I'll go into them 

thespiceman

Hello @Liam Thanks for reply and please can I suggest go straight away.  I apologise for being to the point.  You remind me of my situation once that is all.  Today especially in this country people do not care in these jobs.  We as a community care about one another.  That is why I am sorry about what is happening to you.  I was once as I said in a similar problem to you.  I ended up having to speak someone in housing after a long wait.  I would also contact welfare rights about your situation as well.  I hope and pray that you get sorted.  Remember you can do this as I have mental problems myself and have a disability.  I am sure all of the community understands your situation and are here to assist and help and advise.

lucycherish

Hey Liam, so sorry your dealing with this right now, I'm assuming you got the property through a local authority (if I get anything wrong I'm sorry but not the best for focusing after seizures) as far as i am aware a fair few councils still have a housing grant scheme, which sounds perfect for you so I would check that out definitely, also don't be afraid to post on Facebook etc asking if anyone has things you do need, if anyone's like my mum they'll store it until asked for but not advertise it, I really wish there was more I could do, if you where local I'd be round with bags of stuff An coffee of course haha! I really hope something it's done soon for you x

Neil2017

Hi @liam

Sorry to hear you are in this situation. Have you got sorted out yet?

The income you have stated seems quite low for benefits unless it is age related. Have you checked if your entitled to Personal Independence Payment also commonly called PIP for short?

Also are you entitled to use food banks like the Trustle Trust to get donated food even for a short period so that you can use your money to spend some on furniture?

Try any of these websites or organisations for free or donated or second hand stuff (some already stated in previous comments):

Freecycycle
Gumtree
eBay
the Salvation Army
British Heart Foundation
Facebook second hand sales groups 

also consider advertising on Facebook for wanted stuff.

If your fairly mobile consider going to your local library if it is walkable in some part of the day to try and reduce energy usage. Also don’t boil a kettle frequently if possible.

Hope all these help in boosting your cash to get some furniture 

Neil2017

Hello again @liam
i will also add that you don’t say if your claiming any housing benefit? If so another possibility is if your monthly total income payed into your bank account is at least 500 pounds consider changing your bank account if it is of no hassle to you. Several are now paying you a joining bonus for changing to them like TSB for example when last looked.

thespiceman

Hello @liam How are you ?  I have thinking about your situation over This Christmas.  As I wondered how you have been.  I notice you send me a reply thank you very grateful.  We as a community care and I am glad you spoke to all of us and shared your story thank you.  I see everybody has given you a lot of advice.  Please take care and wish you best for New Year.