Great content .. I have been in Band A for five months now , after my Landlord gave me a section 21 , I have just been sent a letter saying I have a section 8 , going to court soon ! On top of all this my Landlord now say's I owe him three grand ! He say's I was ten pound short every week with out me knowing about it ! Shocking !I have been in this rat riddled house for eight years .
When a council does not follow the legislation with particular reference to vulnerable people in priority need a safeguarding concern should be raised because it amounts to a failure to follow comply with the legislation and places that person at risk. Also if the person has a protected characteristic it is also a failure to comply with the equality Act 2010 and furthermore a breach of the public sector equality duties incumbent upon public bodies.
I've raised a safeguarding alert on one occasion but i never got a clear answer from the safeguarding team aboutn whether gatekeeping would constitute institutional abuse. The fact that they didn't say it's not abuse is probably a good indicator that they knew it was, though.
My local authority does what they please if you don't have anyone else on your side, they left me for 5 years on the street with disabilities and being classed as vulnerable. They took my local connection status away but promptly gave it back when a solicitor asked for a copy of my file, they had restricted it to supported accomodation and stuck me in a place where everyone was a hard drug user and drinker, i didn't feel safe and left after six weeks of wedging a chair against my door every night and got a tent. They tried to say I had made myself intentionaly homeless but they dropped that one after I told them they put me in the wrong kind of accomodation. After that, nothing for 4 years. It was still a hard battle to get help even having proof that I was working as a volunteer for a local organisation for a year and a half. I had access to a shower every day and able to wash my clothes but it seemed that if you don't look like sh*t you get less help and properties go to those least likely to hold on to them.
@@themovingdance2744 I could have started a prosecution against the council as neglect is a form of abuse. I still can't believe how they treated me, stuck on the street with autism anxiety depression and arthritis which got worse because of them. Hastings council appear to answer to no one.
Excellent specific information, thank you. I have multiple medical conditions but never realised I might qualify for social housing on that basis. Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks! if you make a homeless application and you have a physical and Mental health disabilities is it OK for the council to make a same day non priority decision without carrying out any enquiry?
If a person has proved Medical Priority when applying to join a Social Housing List, and are offered a flat 4 years later, is it normal practice for a Council to insist on a review of medical need to see if the offer can be withdrawn? Julia
I think councils would be in their rights to do so, depending on the medical condition (it would be annoying if they were asking about a permanent impairment, but other health issues fluctuate so it would be part of their due diligence to ensure that accommodation is allocated in a way that makes the best use of it).
@@homelessnessbestpractice My application was based on conditions which don't really fluctuate at all. I wouldn't mind the checking so much if it wasn't resulting in a long wait for the flat I've just verbally accepted.
Hello, I have recently been served a section 21 notice and made a homelessness application to the Council. I suffer from Asthma and diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Clinical Depression, Extreme Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder. I recently, attempted suicide and lost two brother to suicide in the past. My legal aid solicitor advised me that, I may struggle convincing the council that I am vulnerable and in priority need. This is because my conditions are treated with medication. Additionally, the council were contacted by my mental health team warning them that I am suicidal, as a result of my mental illness and housing situation. Please can you tell me what you think, because both the council and my solicitor are advising me to look for private rented accommodation. I tired being in private HMOs and want to be settled in social housing. Thanks for you time.
I'd say you need a better solicitor - obviously i don't know how those conditions affect you but check out the video Sarah Steinhardt did for us on vulnerability: ua-cam.com/video/t8h1OT7WbhM/v-deo.html The question is basically whether anything about you differentiates you from a 'healthy and robust' person (the wording comes from a case called Hotak), - the 4 conditions you mention would do so, and the next question basically is, would those conditions put you at significantly more risk of harm that a healthy and robust person if they hypothetically became homeless. I would think the answer is almost certainly yes. Having said that, being in priority need doesn't guarantee you social housing, but it certainly could do.
@@homelessnessbestpractice Thank you for the info. The problem is when you are struggling financially and need to use legal aid you tend to find you don’t get good representation. The solicitor took 4 weeks just to confirm if my section 21 was valid. She did not even asked to see any documents and only wanted to communicate via email, being busy most of the time. Please can you do a video at some point on Section 21 and what to do if legal representation fails you. Thanks and keep up the good work.
I’m currently seeking help from Bedford borough council iv only been placed in high priority need today iv been staying hotels since April and I have on going anxiety and depression it’s getting to me with the amount times iv just been ignored and not helped.
My friend is blind completely and she is being kicked out of her current home as her family no longer want her to live in the same house as them. She doesn’t work and she gets benefits due to her disability. She will soon have to go to the council and make a homeless application. As she has a severe disability are the chances of her application being accepted and her being offered temp accommodation/permanent house higher? Any advise you share given her circumstance? Thanks
It will depend massively on your local area's waiting times. You can make a Freedom of Information Request to the council and ask them for the average waiting times for people in your situation.
no, housing registers that control access to social housing use confusingly similar terms of 'priority' or 'medical priority' or 'priority banding', which all mean different things.
Hi i moved to the uk about 5 months ago. I am a uk national. i am homeless ( sleepin on sofas) i have a full time job i still cant afford rent in london could i apply ? because i have only been here a short time
check out the final annex in the Homelessness Code of Guidance - it states you can pass the habitual residency test after as little as a month of living in the Uk - it all depends on the circumstances (which it talks more about in the Code of guidance)
Hiya, unfortunately I don't have capacity to support in individual cases. Let your local councillor(s) and MP about your situation and ask if they can help - some are really good.
I’m single parent with an autistic child, I live on top flat (1 small bedroom) (private rent) my flat is opened planned and windows are low and not allowed window locks! And other unsafe things in flat! My daughter goes to special school where a mini bus has to park away 15mins up the road where is my safe as my front door leads out onto a road! I’ve sent pictures and medical reports and OT and letter from school and health visitor supporting my claims and they still say no to me!! So no banding? What can I do?
@@Lisa-hh7br The council didn't take my daughters OT assessment into consideration either. They also ignored a letter from camhs. I went through our housing association who I rent with instead and their policy is different and they approved a management move/transfer. Could you possibly go down that route with your landlord? I'm not sure... Either way have a look at your councils housing policy and read through it. It will usually tell you documents you need for them to accept you onto each band and who is entitled etc. Its good to make sure they are following their own policy. It's disgusting how our childrens needs are ignored for so long. I've waited 7 years for this move. I'm sorry no one is listening.
I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, depression and Asperger's syndrome would the council class me as vunrability for priority need as i will become homeless due to family asking me to leave?
I would say it's highly likely you're in priority need, but it will really make a difference if you start the process with medical evidence already - ideally if you can get your GP / mental health professional to explain what is likely to happen to you in terms of those diagnoses if you were to become homeless, whether the symptoms would get worse, and what harm that would result in, you will hopefully get fairer consideration of your case.
I'll speak with my mental health professionals and autism about how my diagnosis effect me fory homelessness, so documents, letter's explaining this, am I likely to receive temporary accommodation or emergency housing?
@@jackkiernan5950 When your supporting professionals write something it's really important they explain what is likely to happen to your health / wellbeing if homeless - anything that doesn't cover this won't be worth much, so a just a list of diagnoses won't be enough. You should be owed a duty under s.188 that is referred to colloquially as emergency / temporary accommodation, but it will depend on the council as to what you get. It's also really important that you spell out explicitly what reasonable adjustments the council need to make in relation to your disabilities - again, just stating that you have disabilities won't help, you need to say to them what they need to do to respond to them
A 16-17 year-old would automatically be in priority need if they had been assessed under the Children Act and declined social care, and younger children would presumably be part of a household that would automatically be in priority need already as the household would have a dependent child in it, so the child's autism wouldn't make a difference in that respect, but it would be very relevant when it comes to assessing what type of accommodation is suitable for them.
@@homelessnessbestpractice if you don't mind I have a question about this in terms of my right to refuse unsuitable accomodation or something very far from my local area and my child's school? We are a family of 4 children( one baby and a 10 year old eldest with autism), 2 adults we have been through the whole process throughout the eviction. We have a case worker and have been given band b but the case worker keeps telling me you would need to be moved out of the area due to the size of your family as there isn't suitable temporary accomodation we can offer. When I mentioned my son's disability and how he would be affected that's kind of brushed to the carpet and I'm explained that the council doesn't have enough properties. I'm very nervous about this as the bailiffs are coming on the 29th and we have lived in this area for 11 years now. I don't know how my son would react to so many sudden changes. Any advice would be appreciated thank you
@@daddysyoutube2734 there was a property to bid on the week that I got evicted and I was number one so they called me to say that I can view it but said it's not available yet then I said I'm getting evicted tomorrow and they started to tell me that I won't get the property since it's not ready for another 2 weeks to which I told them I don't understand why as Im number one n I got nowhere to live. Then I got evicted the next day and went to council office sat there all day having conversations about this which went around them telling me I'll get the property if I stay with friends and family until it's ready but I told them that I have 4 kids and can't stay with anyone. Basically at the end my case worker assured me that I'll get the property and on top of that they found me temporary accomodation. It wasn't pleasant but was fine was one room for all of us 2 people and 4 kids and we were there a week and then they called to view property which I did and then they literally gave keys and said I can move in from tomorrow. All worked out well )
Thank you for all your advice., I just being made ineligible ‘ by locata ‘ @ Ealing ,. I feel so lost 😞. I don’t know what to do anymore. Thank you so much .🙏🏼
Great content .. I have been in Band A for five months now , after my Landlord gave me a section 21 , I have just been sent a letter saying I have a section 8 , going to court soon ! On top of all this my Landlord now say's I owe him three grand ! He say's I was ten pound short every week with out me knowing about it ! Shocking !I have been in this rat riddled house for eight years .
When a council does not follow the legislation with particular reference to vulnerable people in priority need a safeguarding concern should be raised because it amounts to a failure to follow comply with the legislation and places that person at risk. Also if the person has a protected characteristic it is also a failure to comply with the equality Act 2010 and furthermore a breach of the public sector equality duties incumbent upon public bodies.
I've raised a safeguarding alert on one occasion but i never got a clear answer from the safeguarding team aboutn whether gatekeeping would constitute institutional abuse. The fact that they didn't say it's not abuse is probably a good indicator that they knew it was, though.
I was told this
I m challenging it
My local authority does what they please if you don't have anyone else on your side, they left me for 5 years on the street with disabilities and being classed as vulnerable. They took my local connection status away but promptly gave it back when a solicitor asked for a copy of my file, they had restricted it to supported accomodation and stuck me in a place where everyone was a hard drug user and drinker, i didn't feel safe and left after six weeks of wedging a chair against my door every night and got a tent. They tried to say I had made myself intentionaly homeless but they dropped that one after I told them they put me in the wrong kind of accomodation. After that, nothing for 4 years. It was still a hard battle to get help even having proof that I was working as a volunteer for a local organisation for a year and a half. I had access to a shower every day and able to wash my clothes but it seemed that if you don't look like sh*t you get less help and properties go to those least likely to hold on to them.
Wow how awful for you. Happened to me. The anxiety never wanes after. I m going through it again. Insane at 63
@@themovingdance2744 I could have started a prosecution against the council as neglect is a form of abuse. I still can't believe how they treated me, stuck on the street with autism anxiety depression and arthritis which got worse because of them. Hastings council appear to answer to no one.
Excellent specific information, thank you. I have multiple medical conditions but never realised I might qualify for social housing on that basis. Keep up the good work 👍
Glad you found it useful Andrew.
Thanks! if you make a homeless application and you have a physical and Mental health disabilities is it OK for the council to make a same day non priority decision without carrying out any enquiry?
Hiya, I will take this question anonymously to the livestream tonight (1st August 2024) to try to answer it there.
If a person has proved Medical Priority when applying to join a Social Housing List, and are offered a flat 4 years later, is it normal practice for a Council to insist on a review of medical need to see if the offer can be withdrawn? Julia
I think councils would be in their rights to do so, depending on the medical condition (it would be annoying if they were asking about a permanent impairment, but other health issues fluctuate so it would be part of their due diligence to ensure that accommodation is allocated in a way that makes the best use of it).
@@homelessnessbestpractice My application was based on conditions which don't really fluctuate at all. I wouldn't mind the checking so much if it wasn't resulting in a long wait for the flat I've just verbally accepted.
Hello, I have recently been served a section 21 notice and made a homelessness application to the Council. I suffer from Asthma and diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Clinical Depression, Extreme Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder. I recently, attempted suicide and lost two brother to suicide in the past. My legal aid solicitor advised me that, I may struggle convincing the council that I am vulnerable and in priority need. This is because my conditions are treated with medication. Additionally, the council were contacted by my mental health team warning them that I am suicidal, as a result of my mental illness and housing situation. Please can you tell me what you think, because both the council and my solicitor are advising me to look for private rented accommodation. I tired being in private HMOs and want to be settled in social housing. Thanks for you time.
I'd say you need a better solicitor - obviously i don't know how those conditions affect you but check out the video Sarah Steinhardt did for us on vulnerability:
ua-cam.com/video/t8h1OT7WbhM/v-deo.html
The question is basically whether anything about you differentiates you from a 'healthy and robust' person (the wording comes from a case called Hotak), - the 4 conditions you mention would do so, and the next question basically is, would those conditions put you at significantly more risk of harm that a healthy and robust person if they hypothetically became homeless. I would think the answer is almost certainly yes.
Having said that, being in priority need doesn't guarantee you social housing, but it certainly could do.
@@homelessnessbestpractice Thank you for the info. The problem is when you are struggling financially and need to use legal aid you tend to find you don’t get good representation. The solicitor took 4 weeks just to confirm if my section 21 was valid. She did not even asked to see any documents and only wanted to communicate via email, being busy most of the time. Please can you do a video at some point on Section 21 and what to do if legal representation fails you. Thanks and keep up the good work.
I’m currently seeking help from Bedford borough council iv only been placed in high priority need today iv been staying hotels since April and I have on going anxiety and depression it’s getting to me with the amount times iv just been ignored and not helped.
My friend is blind completely and she is being kicked out of her current home as her family no longer want her to live in the same house as them. She doesn’t work and she gets benefits due to her disability. She will soon have to go to the council and make a homeless application. As she has a severe disability are the chances of her application being accepted and her being offered temp accommodation/permanent house higher? Any advise you share given her circumstance?
Thanks
Hi R, i have recorded a video explaining a bit about this - check out the link: ua-cam.com/video/GJ6eKqfYxdA/v-deo.html
I have major issues with arthritis spine and waiting on knee replacements council say nothing wrong with me
I’m on pip and homeless I just been housing & they’re putting me on priority housing. How long roughly after that do you get offered a place.
It will depend massively on your local area's waiting times. You can make a Freedom of Information Request to the council and ask them for the average waiting times for people in your situation.
I have major issues with spine, Athoritis
Does this cover housing associations??
no, housing registers that control access to social housing use confusingly similar terms of 'priority' or 'medical priority' or 'priority banding', which all mean different things.
@@homelessnessbestpractice thank you for replying 🙏
Hi i moved to the uk about 5 months ago. I am a uk national. i am homeless ( sleepin on sofas) i have a full time job i still cant afford rent in london could i apply ? because i have only been here a short time
check out the final annex in the Homelessness Code of Guidance - it states you can pass the habitual residency test after as little as a month of living in the Uk - it all depends on the circumstances (which it talks more about in the Code of guidance)
Hi mate is the a way to contact you
I am in desperate need of help
Thanks
Hiya, unfortunately I don't have capacity to support in individual cases. Let your local councillor(s) and MP about your situation and ask if they can help - some are really good.
Hi mate Thanks I will try that appreciate your help and all the helpful information on your videos
I’m single parent with an autistic child, I live on top flat (1 small bedroom) (private rent) my flat is opened planned and windows are low and not allowed window locks! And other unsafe things in flat! My daughter goes to special school where a mini bus has to park away 15mins up the road where is my safe as my front door leads out onto a road! I’ve sent pictures and medical reports and OT and letter from school and health visitor supporting my claims and they still say no to me!! So no banding? What can I do?
@@Lisa-hh7br The council didn't take my daughters OT assessment into consideration either. They also ignored a letter from camhs. I went through our housing association who I rent with instead and their policy is different and they approved a management move/transfer.
Could you possibly go down that route with your landlord?
I'm not sure...
Either way have a look at your councils housing policy and read through it. It will usually tell you documents you need for them to accept you onto each band and who is entitled etc. Its good to make sure they are following their own policy.
It's disgusting how our childrens needs are ignored for so long. I've waited 7 years for this move.
I'm sorry no one is listening.
@@el7h3773 child services
I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, depression and Asperger's syndrome would the council class me as vunrability for priority need as i will become homeless due to family asking me to leave?
I would say it's highly likely you're in priority need, but it will really make a difference if you start the process with medical evidence already - ideally if you can get your GP / mental health professional to explain what is likely to happen to you in terms of those diagnoses if you were to become homeless, whether the symptoms would get worse, and what harm that would result in, you will hopefully get fairer consideration of your case.
I'll speak with my mental health professionals and autism about how my diagnosis effect me fory homelessness, so documents, letter's explaining this, am I likely to receive temporary accommodation or emergency housing?
@@jackkiernan5950 When your supporting professionals write something it's really important they explain what is likely to happen to your health / wellbeing if homeless - anything that doesn't cover this won't be worth much, so a just a list of diagnoses won't be enough. You should be owed a duty under s.188 that is referred to colloquially as emergency / temporary accommodation, but it will depend on the council as to what you get. It's also really important that you spell out explicitly what reasonable adjustments the council need to make in relation to your disabilities - again, just stating that you have disabilities won't help, you need to say to them what they need to do to respond to them
What about a child with autism does this mean vulnerable?
A 16-17 year-old would automatically be in priority need if they had been assessed under the Children Act and declined social care, and younger children would presumably be part of a household that would automatically be in priority need already as the household would have a dependent child in it, so the child's autism wouldn't make a difference in that respect, but it would be very relevant when it comes to assessing what type of accommodation is suitable for them.
@@homelessnessbestpractice if you don't mind I have a question about this in terms of my right to refuse unsuitable accomodation or something very far from my local area and my child's school? We are a family of 4 children( one baby and a 10 year old eldest with autism), 2 adults we have been through the whole process throughout the eviction. We have a case worker and have been given band b but the case worker keeps telling me you would need to be moved out of the area due to the size of your family as there isn't suitable temporary accomodation we can offer. When I mentioned my son's disability and how he would be affected that's kind of brushed to the carpet and I'm explained that the council doesn't have enough properties. I'm very nervous about this as the bailiffs are coming on the 29th and we have lived in this area for 11 years now. I don't know how my son would react to so many sudden changes. Any advice would be appreciated thank you
@@katekayuda3216hi May i ask what happened since then
@@daddysyoutube2734 there was a property to bid on the week that I got evicted and I was number one so they called me to say that I can view it but said it's not available yet then I said I'm getting evicted tomorrow and they started to tell me that I won't get the property since it's not ready for another 2 weeks to which I told them I don't understand why as Im number one n I got nowhere to live. Then I got evicted the next day and went to council office sat there all day having conversations about this which went around them telling me I'll get the property if I stay with friends and family until it's ready but I told them that I have 4 kids and can't stay with anyone. Basically at the end my case worker assured me that I'll get the property and on top of that they found me temporary accomodation. It wasn't pleasant but was fine was one room for all of us 2 people and 4 kids and we were there a week and then they called to view property which I did and then they literally gave keys and said I can move in from tomorrow. All worked out well )
Thank you for all your advice., I just being made ineligible ‘ by locata ‘ @ Ealing ,.
I feel so lost 😞. I don’t know what to do anymore. Thank you so much .🙏🏼