Council house waiting lists medical

[panda2023]

Hi. So ive been on waiting list band B for around 500 days now on medical grounds.current property has 4 flights of stairs which cause a struggle every day. Been offered a property which is going to mean i have to get 2 buses and an hour trip to get my disabled child to school , 2 buses to get home again. I am worried if i turn it down i wont get offered another. Also what happens if i move to a rented ( still cannot adapt to suit needs) but eliminates the stair issue. Will they see the need to move as less. Or am i better off staying and waiting. The thought of that kills me as its such a struggle in our current home. What to do

That’s why I asked if your DC with ASD has had their own assessment as that will focus on his needs, even if that means 2 separate bathrooms or a larger bathroom to accommodate both needs.

Sorry meant through floor lift. Need a house with the space for one

Do you have a named housing officer? The house you have been offered is it Social housing or private.You really need social housing not private for the security.Yes,you need money when you are offered social housing the older houses can be in an awful state no flooring,curtain rails or decoration.There is a voucher for paint.You really need help I can see,your life is so difficult at the moment.Do you have a.social worker who may be able to direct you for help.I wish you much luck.

No he hasnt had a separate assessment. I think that will create problems to find a property that fits all requirements. I just wish this one was a little closer to schools and my help thats all

no we don't have any support off anybody. Life is hard this is why i need help

DC needs their own assessment. Adding a bath or a 2nd bathroom if necessary shouldn’t be too difficult. It is done all the time.

If you haven’t had social care assessments you all need one - you a carer’s assessment and both DC an assessment via the disabled children’s team.

Thank you

Have a look at contact for information about how to get a SW. you can get one for your children as they have disabilities by law. You'll have to fight (something I'm sure you know better than anyone) but they have template letters for you. A SW can also help with housing by liaising for you.

Also does your children's schools have a home school link worker? They can also be supportive in advocating for you.

More likely in a special school.

OP has two disabled kids, which they seem to also be parenting on their own. Love to see how you'd manage that.

The OP does need all the help and support she can get and OT and SW assessment is a good start with that. There is lots of stuff out there we don’t know exists as we have never needed it before. Make sure you get all you are entitled to OP!

However on the specific issue of the house she does need to be realistic. Housing is a finite resource and although it is rubbish the LA can only rent the stock they have and adaptations can have a funding limit. Therefore whilst it would be better eg to have a bath and a shower holding out for two bathrooms or a very large one may not be the course of action. Just because an assessment says it would be beneficial it does not mean that it can happen in real life!

They have offered you appropriate housing, schools can be changed. I have an autistic child, we had to move 3 times including countries for work reasons, they adapt - expecting to get a house exactly where you want it isn't realistic.

Can your older child travel to school on their own if they are at secondary?

Houses can be, and regularly are, adapted to add a bathroom or adapt the existing one. There is no reason a bath and an accessible shower/wet room can’t be provided or 2 bathrooms.

There's no reason an autistic child can't take a shower, they do adapt

No we dont have any help or support. I have just been waiting for a house since 2020 and this one has just come up but i feel disheartened by it being so far away from their schools. My family ect. Also the state of the house i cant afford to buy a kitchen. Put flooring down throughout a whole house. Its crazy .. people who keep having more and more children are placed in brand spanking new houses with new kitchens ect for overcrowding. But people with children in need of healthy environments and spend majority of their time on the floor are given something not so wonderful. I need my money to spend on transportation, specialist clothing. Monitors - just makes me sad we are facing this

This is very ignorant. Some people with autism can’t because of their sensory difficulties.

Hi. No he is in a specialist setting which i had to fight for. He gets transport. But if we move the transport would change as its out of school area and would takes over an hour to get ti school

You will have to compromise somewhere and hope that the new place is better than the last overall.
Don't hold on to the idea you can do a mutual exchange as it will be refused if you have had significant adaptations and no council would pay again to do the same to a new house. Also, you are giving the message that a house with suitable adaptations is less important to you than location.
There is a limit on disabled facilities grants of £30k so by the time you have figured in through lifts, ramps, grabrails etc , you would be lucky to get anything left over for a second bathroom
It would be a very rare private landlord who would allow such significant adaptations to their property. It would devalue the property and make it harder to let the next time.
I'm getting the impression that there is something else you don't like here - is it on an estate you don't want? I can only see it as a positive move so I'm puzzled as to why you are reluctant with issues that can be overcome or put up with?
I've worked in social housing for the last 40,000 years and my advice would definitely be to take the offer.
PS Do not bother with the MP, the council will just say they have limited resources and you have been offered a perfectly good property which you turned down.

That is very true. Adaptations happen all the time BUT they should be necessary and appropriate.. Given the limited housing stock and funding holding out for the perfect property may not be realistic.

It would be part of the assessment process to look other ways of meeting the needs - eg work with the child to overcome sensory issues if possible? Blow up baths? Etc etc. The OP says she may need a through floor lift at some point. What if the house has a big bathroom but can’t have a TFL? It is about dealing with current priorities and needs and future planning in the context of a fairly shitty housing situation (another gift from the Tories!).

It has nothing to do e
With not liking. Its about practicality and my mental health. I already struggle as a single mother of two children with different disabilities. I need help and support of those around me. Without this i simply couldn't cope. Its very overwhelming at times and often dont want to be here anymore. I lost my husband in the same year our child got his own life long diagnosis. Its been tough adjusting and the children have gone through so much. I need help and support. Not to be pushed tp the other side of the city where i would feel totally isolated and have to struggle to get anywhere. I never understood how hard having disabled children would be until you do it. And the sacrifices you make. So no one can tell me i don't sacrifice things because i do. Try walking in my shoes

Each child can have their own grant so the work doesn’t need to be limited to £30k. There is often funds for adaptations for children that need more than the DFG grant too.

I’m not saying OP should hold out for a perfect house, not at all. But she can pursue having both DC’s needs met. Sensory OT is all well and good, but for some no amount of therapy will overcome the difficulties preventing showers. A blow up bath won’t work long term.

This is very insensitive. Do you know what autsim is. A shower is like needles on his skin. Im not going to waste time trying to educate you

Some LA’s don’t limit their adaptations to £30k (x2 maybe) like the DDG limit so she does need to speak to the housing officer to get a clear picture of her options and local policies. Eg I know one LA who will only re house if the house meets needs now and another who will adapt ahead of moving in. She needs to know what she is signing up for!

I may have missed how old the DC are although is one still primary? Anyway as a general piece of advice try and get all
adaptations/equipment/ care and support finalised as much as is possible before they turn 18. All this stuff is harder when they became an adult!

I agree they did offer this

try and get all adaptations/equipment/ care and support finalised as much as is possible before they turn 18. All this stuff is harder when they became an adult!

I completely agree with this, especially because of the means testing on household income once 18.