To think the council should help this couple and baby with housing

[livedtotellthetale]

I have a friend who had a baby dd 11 weeks ago, due to serious health issues the baby has not been able to leave hospital, so mum and dad have been staying at the hospital although mainly mum as the dad has returned to work.
They live in a one bed rented flat and although not ideal they could have copied with living there with baby for a year when hoping to move to a two bed when mum returned to work and saved more money.
But because of the health issues the duty of care at the hospital have said its not recommended that the baby can go home to a one bedroom flat as my friends dd will need her own room for all the equipment that she will need, also they have said that they will need respite nurse to stay over nights to help with the medical care.
The hospital will not let the family go home till they have adequate housing.
The family have been to the council who have said that they wont help them and that they should turn their living room into a bedroom for themselves and their dd has her bedroom. I don't see how this would work as the my friends partner works shifts including some nights.
To add that its highly unlikely that my friend will be able to return to work as their dd will have long term health issues.
Its a really stressful time at the moment as their dd is having further tests to see the full picture on her health issues.
AIBU in thinking that this is surely what council affordable hosing should be for.

Can I suggest that your friend and/or her DH get in touch with their local Sure start Centre.

They will have a Family Outreach team and Family Information Service Advisors who can support them emotionally, put them in touch with support services re their baby's medical issues and advise on benefits and housing all in one go.

I would also suggest they ask the consultant paediatrician treating their daughter to write a letter to the council outlining her condition and needs and why it is therefore necessary for them to be housed in a 2 bedroom property.

This did actually tip the scales for a family I know where the mother had serious health problems and they were in very inadequate housing prior to her having major surgery.

I would imagine it would be even more relevant in this case.

Oh dear, London . Judging purely from threads on here & the Channel 4 "How To Get A Council House" programme, it does seem that getting a council property in London is a nightmare.

It's hard enough across most of the UK, but not on the same level I don't think.

They really do need someone fighting the fight for them don't they? Hopefully SS will step up & push so that baby can leave hospital & the family can get on with building their new life.

Yes, baby will probably qualify for DLA at some point (not sure at what age as the essence of DLA is that the person must need more help than someone else of the same age without the disability & obviously, newborns are fully dependent anyway), and being in receipt of DLA for a child does increase your tax credits a little & qualify the non-working parent to apply for Carers Allowance (probably have to wait until maternity leave is over) BUT would a private LL accept them as income?