to be annoyed my disabled father gets no help?

[lorrycat]

My father lives alone, he is 53 and has mental health issues (registered disabled). He lives in a council house and lives on benefits, which is fine most of the time.

His house is absolutely freezing - i mean arctic cold. DS and i wear coats when we are there. Dad does put the heat on, but to be honest, the heat is lost through the poor window and doors system.

Now the house is 19 years old and the council felt the need to come out last year and replace his kitchen - which by no means needed replaced at the time. When he asked if they would do his windows instead, he was given a flat "no".

So i have been looking into help available for him to have PVC windows installed. Basically when it comes down to it, there is no help available to him at all. His house is not old enough to require the work through the council, and they won't give him grant help to do it himself.

What really annoys me is that the woman who lives next door bought her house when the council were selling them off. She got a massive 60% discount off the selling value, gets it paid through her income support (because she's lying and says she lives there alone, when in fact her husband, 4 adult children and 1 grandchild all live there). She also got grand aid to put big fancy PVC windows and doors all over her house WTF!!!!!

Any my dad can't get ANY help just to have a warmer winter???

Have you looked at that warm front scheme.

I really don't want to put this back on to you but is there anything pratical you can do to help such as check there is loft insulation- if not organize someone to put it in. Other things such as letter box flaps, thick lined curtains, insulation tape round the windows.
I know money can be tight at times and it's not cheap heating a whole house but maybe making sure the living room and bedroom stay warm.
Make sure your father is dressed warmly as well and if you can make sure he is getting enough calories in his diet. Warm flasks of soup and coffee for the daytime could be helpful.

Depending on the benefits he gets he may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment when it goes below zero for 7 days www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Inretirement/DG_10018668

Also have you thought about draught proofing strips for the doors and windows, draught excluders and extra loft insulation, dorr curtains etc to help keep the heat in. If he can't aford it (or you can't help out financially) then maybe social fund could help (or crisis loans). Are trhere are any local charities that could help?

Think you ABU about his neighbour, you don't know any of that is fact. Just concentrate on your dad.

I do feel for you dad. But just following on from upahill here, have you done everything you can eg. silver reflecting things behind the radiator, stopping gaps as much as you can (feel with your hands where the wind blows in), sausage dog by the door, blinds and thick curtains, blanket to sit under while watching TV, letter box flap, hot water bottle etc. Even you can get clingfilmy like stuff to put over the windows for winter, doesn't look great but it does work well.

We've done all these as we can't afford double glazing, and I haven't had the heating on at all this week (though it has been quite mild tbh).

Thanks everyone.
we have thought about ways we can help dad. He has a nice big thermal dressing gown, hot water bottle, underheated blanket for bed, blinds, lined curtains etc etc. We have, in previous years, stuffed kitchen paper/newspaper into the gaps in the windows.

TheReveredRocks...he is entitled to the cold weather payment, but last year that came in February, when the worst of the cold weather was over and to be honest its only £200 or something like that.

I am going to go to social fund, to see if a community care grant is applicable in this instance. I have also arranged for a local window company to come out and do a quote for the front half of the house. He already has a PVC front door (which really cut down the drafts in the hall), so he only requires a front window and 2 bedroom windows to complete the front half of the house.

Have you talked to CAB (Citizen's Advice Bureau) and/or Help the Aged? They might have advice/ contacts/ideas etc.

Have you suggested he move to a nice smaller one bedroom flat that will cost less to run ?

If he's registered Disabled he's entitled to Warm Front. They aren't brilliantly efficient but they do do I think up to £3700 of work on insulating and heating the home. I went through them and they put in an entire boiler and heating system. They would have done insulation, draught excluding and secondary glazing... You just need to be in receipt of DLA.

Temporarily - quite cheaply you can buy clear film which you stick over the windows which will stop the draughts.

Weegle what do mean by not brilliantly effiecient ? I have had them round to 'survey' three time. I did get cavity wall insulation which I am gratefull for but the guy wouldnt do one end of the house as there were 'prickles' near the wall. Had it of been bought up I would of cut the damn bushes down as its my west facing bedroom wall not insulated. I've also had one guy refuse to do my loft as there wasnt room to stand up in it. I DO understand H+S has a part to play but felt they didnt want what was a more difficult job

yes - that was about my issue... ours took two surveys and two cancelled attempts before the final fitting of the boiler because the surveyor kept putting the boiler in places that it couldn't actually, in practice, be located. Was a nightmare - totally delayed our whole building project by 4 months and means it's cost us more than the value of the grant because we have to move in to rented... but I'm guessing in 'normal' circumstances where they are doign more straight forward jobs surely they shouldn't have as much scope for cocking it up... and ours wouldn't have been a problem if we hadn't been so time dependent because our entire project hinged on removing the hot water tank and getting a boiler in...

Does your dad have a social worker? We have some relatives with mental health issues and TBH social workers have been the best help as they are very good at coordinating all services.

Weegle - i've looked up the Warm Front scheme and the only services the offer here in northern ireland is the insulation - which he already had installed a number of years ago.

Moving to a one bed flat was an option we did explore. However, the area we live in a quite a "bad" area and he was afraid that leaving his street, where he knows his neighbours etc, would leave him more vulnerable and a target.

I am contacting the socail fund for him today to see if there is some grant aid/social fund loan that he would be eligible for.

letsblowthistacostand...he doesn't acutally have a social worker. His mental health issues run along the lines of long term depression/anxiety/social phobia/panic attacks and there never has been a suggestion of one needing put in place. but it may be an avenue worth exploring...so thank you.

At the moment i think the social fund is my best option. I've had some quotes done and its likely to cost in and around £2500 to do the whole house in PVC windows and doors. So maybe if we could get some funding for even half of that, i could help him find the rest.

lorrycat I've had similar problems trying to secure services from the Local Authority for tenants in terms of having central heating installed, new windows fitted, draughtproofing etc

If I get no joy from the council, my next port of call is the local MP. Threaten to kick up a stink in the local press.

Also, you could try getting a Social worker for your dad as this may add some weight to having his needs met. Or you could look at Housing Support, (It's Supporting People here but not sure about NI)

Your dad should not have to leave his home because it is unfit to live in. It is the councils responsibility to make sure that his home adequately meets his needs and that he can remain at home independently for as long as possible.

Go to your local library and ask for the reference book, Directory of Grant-Making Trusts. There is some info here online but the book may contain more than the website. www.grantsonline.org.uk/Grant%20Making%20Trusts%20Directory.htm

It'll be a bit of a labourious read but trawl though anything relevent - charities which help the over 50's, the mentally ill and so on.

Then consider your Dad's occupation. Often there are funds for ex-employees of particular trades and professions (if it were me, for example, I would be covered under the motor trades benevolent fund, which I paid into whilst employed in Dealerships). Has he ever served in the Forces? If so they can help.

Look too for local charities - there are some small, bizaare ones out there which cater just for those in one village or area.

You'll need plenty of time to browse all the options (and pen and paper!) but it may well pay off.

One last thought - it might be worth speaking to your local Priest. Whether you are followers of a faith or not, its amazing how much knowledge of charitable organisations and advice a Priest can give. He/she may have contacts within authorities or organisations which could be very helpful.

Wishing you both well,

Vallhala