Can the LA leave my son without appropriate housing, going against his social care assessment?

Paguni · December 2020

Can anyone help me urgently with a concern of housing. My sons who has Aspergers currently has support and both this and the tenancy is only provided on a weekly basis as he was due to move yesterday after 6 month battle at his current supported living placement breaking down because of a 2 year battle with an aggressive tenant. He was offered another property but the day due to move he had another flat offered in same building. My son has to purchase everything for this flat as it’s a building site shell ( not new build) it’s just stripped bear. The other flat originally offered is ready to move into but has a wet room which he is told he is not entitled to have dispute mobility issues since birth. The OT said a bath board will suffice but Josh has autism and won’t cope. These are only 2 flats available in local authority and there are no suitable private rented properties. He has to pay bedroom tax too of approx £50 per month he’s told out of his disability benefit as it’s 2 bedroom again nothing else offered. He was happy to do this but having to carpet fully furnish with white goods as well as everything else in a pandemic with no notice when he’s at risk where he is, is too much and It’s such a mess. He has everything packed up and I’m beside myself with worry as he’s in supported living without effective support in place as it’s broken down. His assessed needs are not met Social worker aware MP trying to push but we are hitting a brick wall and Josh is just stuck in the middle begetting more unwell. It’s a nightmare. Does anyone know how I can resolve this urgently please.

janer1967 · December 2020

Hi and welcome the only suggestion I have is to contact the shelter organisation who specialise in housing advice

It must be a worry for you hopefully other members may be able to help

poppy123456 · December 2020

HI and welcome,

You post is a little confusing and i'm not 100% sure what your question is but i think you're asking how can your son furnish is new home? If so then have you tried looking on places like gumtree and facebook for the area in which he's going to be living? They very often have furnture cheap and sometimes even free. It's worth having a look.

Sometimes local councils have grants for things like white goods but you will need to ring them and ask because all local councils have their own rules and it will depend on their budget.

There's some information in this link here about grants. https://homesforcathy.org.uk/2018/08/03/starting-afresh-getting-help-to-furnish-your-new-home/

You also mentioned that your son is affected by the bedroom tax because it's a 2 bedroom that he's moving into. You can apply for a discretionary housing payment to help with the shortfall of rent but this will depend on his financial circumstances and your local councils budget. It's only paid for a short amount of time and then you have to re-apply. Information here. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments

The forms for the DHP are quite complex so you may want to get some help with filling it out.

If there's any other help and advice you need please do ask.

Paguni · December 2020

My question is can the Local Authority leave my son without appropriate accommodation when Social care have assessed his needs differently to what can be offered by housing. He was due to move yesterday and only shown other flat yesterday. He has nothing on the floor he’s been told there is no discretionary or grant but can apply for £500 loan once he’s moved in. He can’t move in because it’s a concrete floors throughout and he has leg spasms due to the cold. He has mobility problems and other flat originally offered is empty and ready to move in with floors laid etc. Local flooring contacts say shortages and available tradesmen would mean it would be early next year now.
Josh has saved for furniture, sold his PlayStation and got some help from a charity to help with white goods and as family we will help out too but the flooring on a 2 bed flat is going to be a huge cost none of us can manage.

Paguni · December 2020

Also his financial circumstances are he meets the criteria for support the council refuse based on budget

poppy123456 · December 2020

Regarding the flooring have you made looked around at different flooring shops because they usually have off cuts that they sell for a lot cheaper. There's also carpets that sell for as little as £2.99 a square metre which is very cheap and shouldn't costa huge amount for a 2 bedroom flat. Here's the link where i found that carpet. https://www.onlinecarpets.co.uk/carpets.html/filter/price_generic/5587

I'm afraid i don't know of any other grants available other than what i put a link for above.

janer1967 · December 2020

Unfortunately most social housing comes without white goods and flooring I had the same

Can he just get flooring in the rooms he is going to use most until he has more money

I gas concrete floors and put cardboard down from my moving boxes until I could sort flooring it at least took the coldness away or maybe some rugs

Try see if can get some off cuts of carpet

Sorry I dont have the answer about finances but it is a struggle with budget cuts to get any assistance

Paguni · December 2020

Thank you for your help I really appreciate it. Like most of us on tight budgets we do what we can but try explaining that to someone with Aspergers he just doesn’t get it. It’s sadly the hidden disabilities that not seen as such a crisis.

Tori_Scope · December 2020

Hello and welcome to the community @Paguni. I'm sorry to hear about your son's situation, I'm sure that must be very stressful for you both.

I can see you've received some good advice above. In terms of grants, it might be worth reading Scope's page on finding and applying for grants, which includes a link to a grant checker tool. We also have a page on disability grants for home adaptations.

I've renamed your post and moved it into the housing category so that our other members can find it more easily.

poppy123456 · December 2020

Personally, i think it's the same for most disabilities now. It's not really the councils responsibility to carpet a flat or house. Although i do understand the not understanding part because my daughter also has ASD and it's difficult for her to understand some things too.

Can the LA leave my son without appropriate housing, going against his social care assessment?

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