Forced to move home while on HB

[dasis16]

Hi all,

 

I was hoping you guys might have some suggestions? I am currently claiming ESA (support group) and Housing Benefit. I have put in a claim for DLA, but not had a response yet.

 

This is all due to my mental health, which is supposedly being looked after by my local CMHT. I am, however, getting very little help indeed. I have no social worker or support worker, I have been refused a freedom pass, and haven't even gone through a needs assessment, despite my constant requests for one. If you guys want to know my diagnoses, let me know.

 

On top of all of this, I am now being forced to move out of my current tenancy, as the landlord no longer wants us to live there. The council aren't interested until I have an eviction notice, but I don't even have someone to take me down to the council to discuss it anyway. If I stay and wait until eviction, I will owe the landlord thousands in rent, because the other tenants I share with are moving out on the 12th March.

 

I only have help from family or friends at weekends, during the week I am on my own. I don't have the financial means to move either, it's taken me eight months just to get ESA! I have made a complaint to the council, but I fear they'll be "investigating" it for another month, which I really can't afford to wait for.

 

I've also tried CAB and Shelter. Neither have been able to help as I can't get down to see them. If anyone has any thoughts, I'm all ears.

 

Thanks

[speedfreek]

This might be better off being moved to the housing section as this is more of a tenancy issue.

 

There's a little triangle under posts to report if no answers are forth coming report your thread and ask it to be moved here http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?65-Residential-and-Commercial-lettings-Freehold-issues

 

It's well worth your while search on there to for the eviction process etc. As it not when you are evicted but 28 days before notice of eviction the Council have to take action. Not sure on exact timing but you have quite bit of breathing space before that happens and those folks can tell you exactly what's what.

 

From memory as I last looked into this in May

 

Your Council will have a specialist team for housing issues and finding a new property that accepts housing benefit.

 

Getting access to that well erm that's the tricky part it took me 8 attempts at my local Council before I got somebody who new somebody at a charity they worked with.

 

They then sorted everything out with the council and were even prepared to travel with me to viewings.

 

I couldn't handle the telephone calls from the enthusiastic council folks 5-6 times a day so... that stopped

 

Your CMHT should also have a housing officer or be able to refer you to a Council 1 but you'll really have to hassle them for this as they are so over stretched.

 

GP's too can refer you onto Council waiting lists and council support. It help here if you can explain who where n why you need referring here as some know some don't!

 

You usually have to have a reason for staying in a specific area like moving out of the treatment catchment area if your are receiving it, family/friends/support networks etc.

 

Shelter has good guides on this (well had) also your Council website if searched hard enough will give you their rules and the names/numbers of the teams they have.

 

The Council if you think it's savable may be able to negotiate with your current landlord if you think it's worth a shot.

 

Basically have a read around and have a word with your Council.

[abc123def]

Phone your local authority and ask them what local floating support services there are and ask to be allocated a floating support worker. Their task is to help you gain and maintain your housing and will help you with applications and can attend panel if needed.

 

I've no idea what a freedom pass is?

[dasis16]

A freedom pass is an oyster card that provides free travel. Merton Council (where I live) are saying if I get diagnosed Aspergers or HFA, then I'll be entitled to one. What makes me laugh is my other mental health issues affect my mobility much more!

 

I'll give what you've suggested a go on Monday, thanks.

[Consumer dude]

A freedom pass is an oyster card that provides free travel. Merton Council (where I live) are saying if I get diagnosed Aspergers or HFA, then I'll be entitled to one. What makes me laugh is my other mental health issues affect my mobility much more!

 

I'll give what you've suggested a go on Monday, thanks.

 

What is your condition..

[Nystagmite]

I've no idea what a freedom pass is?

 

It's what outside of London is usually known as a disabled persons bus pass.

[dasis16]

The full list of my diagnosed conditions:

 

Social Phobia

Agoraphobia

Severe Depression (their words, not mine)

Borderline Personality Disorder

Passive Aggressive Personality Disorder

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

[dasis16]

And of course the possibility at a later date that I'll be diagnosed as somewhere on the autistic spectrum...

[Nystagmite]

Why were you refused a freedom pass? if you've been refused a driving licence for medical reason for reasons other than drug and alcohol abuse, you should be able to get a freedom pass.

[dasis16]

I've never applied for a driving license, so honestly don't know if I would be refused one on medical grounds or not. I know I'd be hopeless, but that's not quite the same thing is it?

 

The council have stated that an ASD would be a learning disability, for which they would supply a freedom pass. As the diagnosed conditions I have are only mental health conditions, "this has nothing to do with them".

[dyfed]

Hey dasis16 and sorry to hear about the problems youre having at the moment. I too suffer with SAD, GAD with bouts of depression and yes its a struggle to keep yourself going at this time.

Have you a Mind centre near you? They could provide some support or sign post you to local organisations that could support you.

As for the bus pass, well I know many people with MH problems who have a bus pass.

 

I hope everything goes ok for you and take care

[time4change2]

why did they refuse you your freedom pass? the only reason i ask is my sister gets a free travel pass a 2 year one for buses trains trams ect ect this is due to her being refused a driving licence due to the side effects of her anti psychotic medication i know this is one of the reasons she was granted hers she been getting them for the last 6 years now

[time4change2]

you need to contact your CMHT and complain to them about the lack of care and support your getting from them. id ask to speak to the duty phycaratrist and tell them how your feeling and that the current level of care is not enough for you to manage on a daily basis and your suffering due to this.

 

explain your situation to them and ask for a urgent appointment with them if you cant cope or a struggling to cope they will give you an appointment.

 

do you have a cpn? (clinical physicist nurse ( if you get no where tell them your going to complain to the health ombudsman

 

http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

 

 

dont be afraid to get your point across

 

 

 

as for the housing situation most councils and housing assassinations can be a bit down winded most wait until your evicted until they can help you but if you have an eviction notice arrange an appointment with them this should be enough for them to put you in the list so you can start looking for somewhere else to live.

 

also register with as many housing associations and councils as you possibly can sending them in your eviction notice (if you have one) and also your urgency to move to a new property shelter is a great advice service to use try arrange an appointment with them in your area as soon as you can.

 

please keep in touch and let us know how you get on always lot of people on this site here to help

[Guest]

have they given you a crisis card? with a number to call when its out of hours? and yes speak to cmht, or PALS if your not getting the help you need and feel let down by the service.

[dasis16]

I feel completely let down by the service. I currently have three written complaints lodged with various departments of the CMHT right now.

 

I have a meeting this afternoon at Merton Council with my support worker. Wish me luck! I think I am going to need it...

[Nystagmite]

Good luck! And you're not alone with having lodged a complaint with CMHT. been waiting since September for the outcome. All they've said so far is "they've done nothing wrong". They lied to me more than once.

[Nystagmite]

 

The council have stated that an ASD would be a learning disability, for which they would supply a freedom pass. As the diagnosed conditions I have are only mental health conditions, "this has nothing to do with them".

 

If your IQ is above 70, you're not classed as having a learning disability. That's what I was told - and to them, learning disabilities are things like Downs Syndrome and not high functioning Autism / Aspergers. You're actually classed as having a mental health problem, yet, Autism isn't a mental health problem.