newly disabled housing search

[user1473065575]

Hi, not sure where to post this so please direct me if there's a more appropriate board.
My SIL had cancer removed from her hip last October. The surgery got complicated and the end result has been a full leg/hip amputation.
She is finally ready to leave hospital. However her flat is completely unsuitable for a wheelchair. The council can't/won't help as they own the flat (a 1 bed, 2 adults, 2 kids, mortgaged, tiny bit of equity). We're really lost how to get her home, find suitable accommodation ourselves. Hence my post. Thanks so much for any advice you can give.

I work in this sort of area.

A Disabled Facilities Grant would pay to adapt a property but not if it would still be unsuitable. I have known DFGs to be used to support a house sale/purchase for something more suitable though. She needs an assessment from a social care OT as they are most often the ones who deal with housing not OTs based in the hospital.

The local authority should then have a duty to house and it is the district councils (not county councils) who administer the DFG and run local housing. I have known councils who have re housed people into council houses when their private property is wholly unsuitable.

Make sure she makes an urgent referral to adult social care for OT and Social work support to facilitate her discharge.

I also meant to say get your councillors/MP and senior staff from the hospital on board as well. Charities such as MacMillan may also be of help. The council need pushing from all levels

This is great - will talk to her sister and see where we can go from here. Thank you so much.