council housing

[Gilly]

who can help my friend move nearer to her mum.Her mum is elderly and disabled and my friend who is a 24 hour carer lives 6 miles away.The council wont really help her to move closer .Who can help her

[Kathyan]

Can you talk to Social Services? They may be able to help.

[bednobs]

housing association? Move in with the mum? Out of interest, how is she a 24 hour carer if she's living 6 miles away?

[Yorkie580]

When you say they "won't reaally"help, have they offered any support or assistance?

Can they suggest anyone?

[Gilly]

the council where we live operate a bidding system,whereas you are given a band level, where band 1 is homeless etc, band 2 , medical and so on and when a house is advertised you bid ,with the highest band getting the house, my friend has been given band 4 which basically is just a band where you are allocated a house if nobody else wants it.she has just been turned down for the house which is next door to her mum and she was in the correct band for it. she is just at the end of her tether .

thank you for your help

[Stu Dent]

Okay so it's basically a 'points' system where people are allocated housing on the basis of who gets most points in relation to priority by need?

I would question why, in the circumstances, you are placed so low on the system.

What I would advise you might want to do though, is look into building a 'business case' into why you should be allocated a house in order to perform the function of a carer.

The essence is this: What 'could' it cost your local authority to pay for the care of your mother if you can't care for her due to their rules/stance on allocating housing to enable YOU to take care of your mother?

The argument should be that it's cheaper and better for you to look after your mother than it is for the council.

If the council play hardball then test them on the costs of the care provided in comparison with the expected cheaper costs of a family member looking after your mother.