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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

UC and bring homeless

14 replies

UCQ · 29/09/2025 16:42

Posting for traffic in the hope of knowledgable replies. NC to avoid links to other posts and some details changed.
I have a family member who has been kicked out of her dad’s home due to drug use and can’t go to her mum’s because of the drug use. Her mum would happily have her live there again as long as there was no drug use but she has said no. She likes her freedom too much and the drugs. She’s currently sofa surfing at a friends and due to change sofas in the next couple of weeks. She’s claiming UC although I don’t know how seeing as she’s of no fixed abode. She’s at college on a one year full time yet part time course. She isn’t working. Her UC work commitments state she needs to be spending around 25 hours a week looking for work but she’s not doing this. She says she can’t because she’s at college. UC know she’s at college and have made exceptions for her in some way although she’s been sanctioned for missing appointments. She has some mental health issues that will be being made worse by the drugs but she’s not interested in giving up the drugs. She’s only 18. She’s in England. I’m unable to take her in because of the drugs and I have kids at home plus my elderly mother. I’m at a loss as to how to help her. She’s vulnerable and needs help but I don’t know who is best placed to help her help herself. Are there any charities who could help her? Social services? Is her UC claim at risk with being homeless? She’s registered at a GP at her friend’s current address but this will change soon when she has to move on.
I live quite far away from her but am doing what I can to support her from a distance. She’s not a bad person she’s just making bad decisions.
Any advice much appreciated.

OP posts:
yeesh · 29/09/2025 16:46

The best thing to do would be for her to present as homeless at her local council. They will have a specialist young persons homeless team that can help her through the housing system and make sure she’s getting the benefits she is entitled to.

Autumn1990 · 29/09/2025 16:47

CAB maybe be able to offer some advice and signpost her local charities and services. The council, ours is very good at helping prevent homelessness but I’m aware it’s not the same in every area. The GP if she’ll go with you should be able to refer to specialist services.

Autumn1990 · 29/09/2025 16:48

You can access GP services without an address

DiscoBob · 29/09/2025 16:52

Homeless people can claim benefits. I'm not sure how it works address wise but they can.

It depends on the severity of the drugs. A lot of young people's services will not take her and may refer her to a drug service. If she's openly admitting to being a drug user they will probably put her with other much more severe addicts.

She needs to go to the council and present as homeless.

Peoplemakemesigh · 29/09/2025 17:06

You can legally claim benefits whilst street homeless. You give the local jobcentre as your address and presumably check there for post. Although I think UC is almost completely online anyway.

PAYG phones don't need an address attached as there is no contract. Just top up each month (various methods including registering a debit/credit card with the phone service or purchase a voucher from any almost any convenience store, post office or supermarket) to keep your phone package going. If you don't top up then for about 3 months sometimes longer you can still receive calls and your package restarts when you next top up, eventually if you don't top up with phone credit you'll be cut off and your number reassigned to someone else. You could still get a new SIM card for your phone though which costs about £1 and then top up to get the phone package started (the SIM card comes pre-programmed with a package).

Bank account you can use a "care of" address using a friend's address. If no friends, you can use your last address but have the bank mark it as no-paperwork due to a security risk (ID fraud if new tenants/owners get your banking paperwork). UC is paid into the bank account. If you choose you can instead have it paid into a bank account in someone else's name if you trust this person to administer your money for you and not steal it (which they could easily do since it's probably considered "theirs" as it's in their account and even if it's not, you're not taking them to court when you're homeless are you).

You can't claim housing costs if you don't have a tenancy agreement but since she was living with parents it's unlikely she was doing this anyway.

She'll find it very very hard to get accepted onto the councils homeless scheme due to the drug use, there are very few hostels that will accept people with an active drug addiction and even those will be expecting you to take steps to stop and engage with those services that exist to support you in doing so. So basically she isn't going to meet the criteria for any temporary accommodation because she doesn't want to stop and has no intention of stopping. This means she'll probably be considered voluntarily homeless (due to turning down/being kicked out of the temporary accommodation) so then the council has no duty to house her under the homeless scheme.

She can still join the housing register though and bid for properties using her phone data or a library computer (library membership is free but she'll need an address to use, I'm unsure if you need proof you live there). There's also maybe some kind of drop in centre with computers, for use for council flat bidding. She's be much lower down on the housing list if not considered homeless, so would take years (or decades, depending on area) to get anywhere.

You can't take illegal drugs in a council flat, it would be a breach of tenancy, but unless you're involved in other criminal behaviour or antisocial behaviour nobody is actually going to know, if you otherwise look like a semi-functional human being. Taking prescription drugs isn't in itself illegal, even though abusing them isn't good for you, and both your behaviour under the influence (depending on what you get up to) and the means of acquiring them may be illegal. Illegal behaviour can see you evicted for breach of tenancy, especially if convicted.

Realistically, if she's choosing a lifestyle of drugs and living on the streets then that's where she'll remain. Her friends won't take long to get pissed off with her and kick her out, particularly as her addiction worsens and she inevitably steals from them.

There's nothing you can do for someone who won't help themselves.

cestlavielife · 29/09/2025 17:09

She likes her freedom too much and the drugs

That is her choice and problem.
You can Encourage her to seek help for her drug use so she can access housing etc

MatildaTheCat · 29/09/2025 17:12

It must be painful to watch her going downhill as a result of her life choices but ultimately that are her choices. I can’t think of any agency that will help someone who doesn’t want to be helped (bar extreme MH illness which is a risk to their safety).

Sadly you can only support from afar and reiterate the message that when she is ready to stop taking drugs then she will have options.

Sidebeforeself · 29/09/2025 17:15

Peoplemakemesigh · 29/09/2025 17:06

You can legally claim benefits whilst street homeless. You give the local jobcentre as your address and presumably check there for post. Although I think UC is almost completely online anyway.

PAYG phones don't need an address attached as there is no contract. Just top up each month (various methods including registering a debit/credit card with the phone service or purchase a voucher from any almost any convenience store, post office or supermarket) to keep your phone package going. If you don't top up then for about 3 months sometimes longer you can still receive calls and your package restarts when you next top up, eventually if you don't top up with phone credit you'll be cut off and your number reassigned to someone else. You could still get a new SIM card for your phone though which costs about £1 and then top up to get the phone package started (the SIM card comes pre-programmed with a package).

Bank account you can use a "care of" address using a friend's address. If no friends, you can use your last address but have the bank mark it as no-paperwork due to a security risk (ID fraud if new tenants/owners get your banking paperwork). UC is paid into the bank account. If you choose you can instead have it paid into a bank account in someone else's name if you trust this person to administer your money for you and not steal it (which they could easily do since it's probably considered "theirs" as it's in their account and even if it's not, you're not taking them to court when you're homeless are you).

You can't claim housing costs if you don't have a tenancy agreement but since she was living with parents it's unlikely she was doing this anyway.

She'll find it very very hard to get accepted onto the councils homeless scheme due to the drug use, there are very few hostels that will accept people with an active drug addiction and even those will be expecting you to take steps to stop and engage with those services that exist to support you in doing so. So basically she isn't going to meet the criteria for any temporary accommodation because she doesn't want to stop and has no intention of stopping. This means she'll probably be considered voluntarily homeless (due to turning down/being kicked out of the temporary accommodation) so then the council has no duty to house her under the homeless scheme.

She can still join the housing register though and bid for properties using her phone data or a library computer (library membership is free but she'll need an address to use, I'm unsure if you need proof you live there). There's also maybe some kind of drop in centre with computers, for use for council flat bidding. She's be much lower down on the housing list if not considered homeless, so would take years (or decades, depending on area) to get anywhere.

You can't take illegal drugs in a council flat, it would be a breach of tenancy, but unless you're involved in other criminal behaviour or antisocial behaviour nobody is actually going to know, if you otherwise look like a semi-functional human being. Taking prescription drugs isn't in itself illegal, even though abusing them isn't good for you, and both your behaviour under the influence (depending on what you get up to) and the means of acquiring them may be illegal. Illegal behaviour can see you evicted for breach of tenancy, especially if convicted.

Realistically, if she's choosing a lifestyle of drugs and living on the streets then that's where she'll remain. Her friends won't take long to get pissed off with her and kick her out, particularly as her addiction worsens and she inevitably steals from them.

There's nothing you can do for someone who won't help themselves.

Whilst you are correct that you can claim benefits without an address you cannot give your local jobcentre as an address or have your post delivered there

Jellybunny56 · 29/09/2025 17:16

Unfortunately until she wants to be helped nobody and nowhere can or will help her.

The best thing she could do housing wise would be to present as homeless to the council and she will be placed in emergency accommodation, and then likely a house share/hotel type set up somewhere. But she’ll not be there long if she is actively using drugs, she’ll just be removed and then she’s intentionally homeless and back to square one.

Peoplemakemesigh · 29/09/2025 17:17

Pretty sure you can't claim income related benefits if you're a full time student, unless something has changed. So she's possibly committing benefit fraud saying it's a part time course.

Most "full time" college/university courses aren't actually full time working hours in terms of classes.

This is because if you're supposed to be a jobseeker you're supposed to have time to look for a job, which you don't have if your course is full time, and also be prepared to give up your course to accept work if offered it.

Full time students can get student loans or grants. Part time students can't, but may get a discount on the course and exam fees if on benefits.

If she's on sickness benefits (which she may be as a drug user, for that reason alone), then even if income related there may be slightly different rules regarding being a student for a limited time during recovery as a step towards returning to work, so perhaps not fraud in that case.

CorneliaCupp · 29/09/2025 17:18

There are lots of charities that can provide support if she wants to get clean - but does she?
From what you've said, she has a home with her Mum, it's the drugs that are the problem.
Until she decides she wants to get clean all you can do is keep lines of communication open and let her know that any time she wants to get clean, you will be there.

Peoplemakemesigh · 29/09/2025 17:20

Sidebeforeself · 29/09/2025 17:15

Whilst you are correct that you can claim benefits without an address you cannot give your local jobcentre as an address or have your post delivered there

Do you know the current situation for what to do then? To help OP.

This was the rules under legacy benefits. I didn't realise it had changed.

Peoplemakemesigh · 29/09/2025 17:28

She will possibly end up referred to mental health services OP but if she refuses to engage will be discharged. They'll expect her to stop using (or at least pay lip service to doing so).

She'll find it hard to get help because mental health will say they can't treat that until the addiction is sorted, drug service will say they can't treat addiction until mental health is sorted. So she'll end up passed around because nobody wants to waste their budget on a no-hoper.

If she engages with these services she'll probably be allocated some kind of social worker, psychiatric nurse or "key worker" (support worker in charge of her case), maybe all three.

If she's determined to keep using even getting put in hospital for mental health problems won't help. They find ways of getting drugs smuggled in and are allowed to leave the site temporarily if well enough so will simply go find and use then. You can't fix someone determined to sabotage themselves.

Peoplemakemesigh · 29/09/2025 17:29

Also I never meant all your post delivered to the jobcentre, it was only the DWP letters.

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