Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Advice on Social Welfare and housing and addresses

  • 21-01-2015 10:07am
    #1
    DesmondOfIre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6 ✭


    Hi folks,

    Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.. I'm trying to find out information to help my brother.

    So, my brother was recently in private rented accommodation, but had to move out after he lost his job (rent a room type deal, however landlord wouldn't accept rent allowance or something). The result is that he's now living in his car. Speaking to the social welfare office, they have told him he needs an address in order to claim rent allowance. He could use our mothers address, however, when he did this early last year, the social cut off my mothers careers allowance (sister has special needs, requires full time care) and her household package..

    I'm wondering what the best course of action is for him to find a place to rent and sort his rental allowance?

    He has registered with county council for housing but in approximately number 1000 on the list for each area he requested.. He has lived in emergency accommodation in a hostel before, however doesn't want to return there due to the fact that all his possessions were stolen from him the last time.. He's got a number of medical conditions too, individually they are minor, however together they require a dietary regime to manage and he's been in and out of hospital for the last few years..

    If anyone could help in anyway I'd very much appreciate it..


Comments

  • #2
    Immaculata
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 244 ✭✭Immaculata


    I'm sorry to hear of your brother's difficulties. He did the right thing registering with the council for social housing. Filling out that application is getting one's housing needs assessed and is the first step to getting social housing but it's also the essential first step in getting rent allowance.

    When the council staff say that he needs an address in order to claim rent allowance, I could be wrong but I think what they mean is your brother has to find a place with a landlord who will accept rent allowance payments, and put in his application. So a bit of househunting is in order. One bed apartments are very hard to find so it might be better to look for a room in a shared house.

    It would be wise for your brother to contact the homeless outreach officer at the council. Firstly, your brother is homeless and it's the homeless outreach officer's job to help, and he might be able to assist with the search or with arranging a deposit if your brother doesn't have one.

    If your brother's health warrants it and he wants to, he might consider getting medical evidence of his condition(s) as this will add to his social housing application or might assist with getting sheltered housing, at a pinch, but don't expect it to speed things up, unfortunately.

    Good luck.


Advertisement