Is this overcrowding? Living in living room? Social housing/council home

[Hannahandbaby]

hey guys. asking for my cousin.

her and her parents moved into a 2 bedroom flat when she was 17, she is now 27

in 2018, 8 years ago, her parents separated.

she ended up living and sleeping in the living room because her mother moved into the her bedroom

so her dad lives in one bedroom, mum in another and daughter in living room

Someone moving out was not an option because:

father shortly before divorce ended up disabled, her mother worked minimum wage. Both parents are now pensioners.

so due to low income/pension credit/benefits impossible to find a place to rent

also one moving out would make the daughter homeless as she and and her mum wouldn’t be able to afford the rent.

also landlord now keeps rent reasonable, they wouldn’t be able to afford other private rents

few years ago my friend ended up disabled too (same illness as father, i think inherited from father) and due to illness had to cut hours and her health condition is getting worse and worse everyday. She is really scared she might have to gave up work completely and scared of the future

The living room connects to the kitchen so her parents pass her by to use kitchen everyday/constantly.

her parents are also having constant fights. They hate each other. Screaming on top of lungs, yelling, insulting each other, swearing at each other. so the stress of all this is awful. I myself witnessed this a few times while on phone with her or visiting her.

i know legally, this isn’t really overcrowding, her living in the living room.

but should she try applying anyway? Is there any chance they’ll accept her on list?

she doesn’t care about waiting even decades, she just wants to get on the list. She is terrified about the future.

this is east London, Redbridge

If they are divorced, they will need to show that is so. Not just say they are.

She'd maybe get housing benefit. Social services should be involved by the sounds of it. Get an appointment with CAB to see what they are all entitled too.

She's not overcrowded at the moment and when the parents move out she will also have to leave and find accommodation that she can afford.

I think you are getting confused between the overcrowded issue now and too much space when the parents vacate. They are separate issues. At the moment she is adequately housed and this would be the ideal time for her to start looking for her own place.

I was just thinking this.

Because I was born in Redbridge, I noticed straight away.

And if they hate each other? In sheltered housing they’ll be in a one bed

Isn’t it extremely difficult to find a place to rent on benefits? I haven’t rented in decades but I’ve been reading about housing crisis and have few friends on benefits ending up homeless because no one would rent to them

I answered this question earlier and no they will not be living together, they applied separately

ah apologises. I thought it was a 2 bed council and hence swap

uc should pay towards rent and help out if she can’t work

Yes but that is all the more reason to start looking now rather than when she is left in a property she cannot afford to pay for.

She needs to seek advice from CAB and Shelter and any other agencies that might offer disability support. She needs to know what benefits she can claim and how many hours a week she needs to work.

Once she has all that information she can start looking for a room to rent. It's not going to be a house and maybe not even a flat but it will somewhere that she can afford to live.

Options could include:
renting a room in a shared house that has an en suite
renting a studio flat
moving to a cheaper part of the country ( many people have to do this even of not want to)
asking for a social care assessment for 27yr old if they can not physically live on own
move in with friends or wider family
see what work can be done from home

Options could include:
renting a room in a shared house that has an en suite
renting a studio flat
moving to a cheaper part of the country ( many people have to do this even of not want to)
asking for a social care assessment for 27yr old if they can not physically live on own
move in with friends or wider family
see what work can be done from home

would people in shared homes be ok with her struggling/taking ages/hours to shower/cook/clean up after herself etc

1. would people in shared homes be ok with her struggling/taking ages/hours to shower/cook/clean up after herself etc kitchen alone she struggles a lot even if she finds en suite bathroom
2. extremely difficult to rent a studio on benefits, most don’t want to rent on anyone on benefits
3. Her mum is in London and she helps her and cares for her, I help out too, so not so she much doesn’t want
4. she has zero other family other than her parents and me. Not many friends since she got sick either

i will look into work from home and social care assessment

thank you

If her dad took up an over 60s place and her mum stayed in the house with her, doesn’t that solve all the issues?

Yes but seem he is on the list and waiting

You said it was social housing. I know it's higher in London than where I am but it should still be covered by UC and theres disability on top if her disability is as severe as you say.

That's what confused me.

No, that probably doesn't sound suitable for her then. She probably needs to try to get on the council housing list in her own right and make sure she puts all the information about her disability and her current housing situation on the application.

If has own bathroom then nobody will care how long she takes.
unless the kitchen is the size only one person can be nobody will mind how long anyone is in the kitchen.

but if she takes hours to do one task, is she safe on her own?

Hold she live with you in that case.

You won’t be rehoused together, you need to look for a house share you can afford, uc may top up wages though you would need to be assessed as unable to work full time

She’d be crazy to give up a secure social housing tenancy for a crappy room in a shared house. What would she even gain, apart from getting away from the parents?

Oh no!

it’s not social housing, it’s a private rented home

i was distracted/in a rush while typing sorry

She is not in a secure social housing tenancy!

she is in a private rented flat! With private landlord!

She struggles herself
Can ask council about semi supported living

But then you say she cares for her mother ...how and what kind of care ?

No, mum cares for her