Universal credit housing element

[Becca19962014]

Does this require a contract? My landlord won't give me one.

Long story as to why not.

Am being forced out of social workers case load because I'm too ill for them and they've been my named contact for benefits (before that I wasn't able to claim at all as my post kept being stolen and money kept being stopped and I was forced reapply every three months as they were determined I was better) - they've told everyone as I'm just getting worse they won't see me anymore or support benefits/services. No CAB or similar and no other professionals as social worker demanded responsibility for everything and now those professionals are out of county and I'm too ill to travel (even with transport I cannot get there, even if I could travel hospital transport here is no longer free if on disability benefits or universal credit).

I'm really scared as there's no way I can cope on (about) £300 a month which is all I will get as social worker discharging means I'll have no one to support application for disability and can't do it myself (like I said no welfare rights here and the iPad I use to access MN won't run majority of websites anymore as so old and can't afford a new one).

You really should have pushed for a receipt. Its unusual for a LL to be paid in cash and not provide a receipt unless he is cooking the books.

There is very little advice anyone can offer you I think especially until you have spoken to the Job centre/DWP.

It's terrible that you are now left so isolated and while I find that unbelievable in 2019 I can see how easy it can happen if you live in the arse end of nowhere.

I assume you have no family or friends you can turn to for support?

I did try, what do you expect me to do? I can't force him to give me a reciept. I don't know every time I go out if I'll come back to the locks being changed as I've no contract. I'm frightened of him, hence social worker helping me, until they decided it wasn't their problem anymore and left me to cope with it alone as the person they said would help refused.

I have no one at all. I see social worker and GP and that's it.

I'm bascially invisible to people.

I had people but social worker told them to become carer and do more things for me and I ended up a burden.

Can I ask how you ended up living so rurally with no support around you?
Us it the area you were brought up in/already living in?

Escaping abuse from family/relationship.
Can't go back to where I was living before.

You need to move. You cannot continue to live so rurally when you got no family, friends or means of transport.

Talk to your social worker again, say you are extremely worried about your mental health. Tell her your like to move and want support with benefit, ask what help you can get.

I can't move. Literally I can't travel far enough to get anywhere without being seriously unwell. Even if I lived somewhere more populated I wouldn't have any friends or family would I? I've no functioning to go out and meet people and cannot use buses or public transport anymore due to disability. And, most importantly, I lose my GP altogether. My conditions are very badly misunderstood and I don't have the (physical or mental) strength to go through starting all over again, bring accused of lying etc, and I would be, I always have been despite being diagnosed by a specialist.

Social worker doesn't care about my mental health!!

It's hopeless, but if I'm honest I'd already realised that.

Living somewhere more populated is more ideal than living so rurally. There are groups you can attend, more services and resources to access.

You can play the pity me act all you want but there are ways you can change your life for the better.

You sound like a vulnerable person who is extremely isolated. However, you have capacity so no one can force you to make changes.

My advice is to move to a more populated area where you can engage with the local community.

Op the social worker wouldn't say your "too sick " for support . If you have disabilities which mean you can't work you shouldn't need a social worker for benefits ?

Hi OP,

Some great advice here. Its look like you're having quite a lot of difficulties, maybe reflect on some of the suggestions and consider how much you could do rather than dismissing? Sometimes there are avenues available that we'd consider impossible but when we give it a go, it works out.

With the multiple conditions, you should really be applying for benefits. If you are unable to do it online, call them and ask them to send a pack out (hopefully they still do these!) This should hopefully get you started.

While living in a rural area can be really hard, there will be plenty of other people in a similar situation

Good luck!