Housing Advise

[Mike Powell]

Hi,
New on here.

Would be most grateful for any advise & recommendations as to how I go about helping my son with his housing problems.

David has had severe near 100% psoriasis since the age of two. He is now 31 and has been through just about every course of treatment available with little success. Besides psoriasis he also has partial third nerve palsy in his left eye which basically means he cannot control movement of that eye and hence has greatly impaired vision and balance problems. He is unable to work.

He has for the past three years lived on his own in a one bedroom flat in Deadworth, just outside Windsor.
This is paid for part by Housing Benefits plus £70 a month we are able to help him with from our pensions.
Its an expensive area to live, his rent being £725 a month. His housing benefit is £600 a month and he makes up the difference from the only other income he has which is Income Support of £95 a week.
He has in the past tried to apply for DLA and work related benefits but was told he was ineligible.
 
Now the problem: Recent Government changes are going to reduce his Housing Benefit to approx £340 a month and he will
be unable to afford his rent. He has been told that they will only pay him single room allowance & expect him to find a room in a house share. Even with this level of benefits it is near on impossible to find a single room in the area, other than in a slum condition.
I dont have to mention the problems with his skin flaking and Im sure you would agree that it would not only be unfair on him but also on fellow tenants if he did have to share a house. If anyone would agree to share with him that is.
His only other option is to move away to a cheaper area, but again we feel this would be unfair on him as the few and only friends he has live locally. Again, I am sure you will understand.

Being stress related this is now causing him further health problems and his doctor seems to have little sympathy.

The new rules seem so rigid that there is no way round them and no exceptions allowed for special circumstances, which we believe David falls into.
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If anyone can see a way around them or offer advise on how we resolve this problem my wife & I would be sincerely grateful to hear from you.

Thanking you in advance.

Sincerely,

Mike.

[sakuraba]

Have you been to see the local MP?......could be worth a try

[Mike Powell]

Thanks for the messages everyone. Sorry I have been unable to reply yet. Still finding my way around & could not see a reply button. When I did a box said I did not have rights. !!!!!

Yes sakuraba we have made contact with our son's MP and still await a reply. Having heard Ian Duncan Smiths disgusting comments yesterday we are not holding out much hope.
Whilst we understand the need for cut-backs, this Government said they would not hit the needy & disabled. Quite clearly that was a lie. Duncan Smith said the changes would be ''good'' for the poor as it would get them into work. (what work?)
Our son cannot work & they are hitting him hard. Hitting the weakest who cannot defend themselves.

Perhaps they need the money they are saving on spending on our disabled & needy to top up the foreign aid budget.
Disgusting.

[david_8]

hi, Mike

im just in the middle  of my ib to esa review , and  ready to appeal
no doubt it will have a knock on effect to my dla

dont no much about housing benefits etc
I take it you have a WRO or using CAB. after watching saints and scoungers
i suggest  you  contact the RNIB and Shelter etc

[dboyd]

Hi Mike,

I live in windsor town centre and would be happy to help your son with anything that he needs doing. I have 75% psoriasis on my body and also have psoriatic arthritis, i live in local authority housing which i got from being ill with P and PsA. I also get DLA and ESA which gives me a cash income of 800 a month and my housing and council benefit paid.

It is a very hard process to get DLA but after fighting for 8 months i was awarded it, being a trained advisor with qualifications in Information , Advice and guidance i know how to complete these forms to get a result.

I am 30 which is near your sons age and it would be great to meet someone else in the area who has P, if you would like my help then please let me know.

Thanks, Dan

[Chappers_27]

Getting help from someone who has severe psoriasis in the area would be a great help, I would advise David to take that help.

I also have to say you have not described what courses of treatment your son has had. I had severe psoriasis, and was taking cyclosporin to control it for a while, it helped enormously. Has he had light therapy? Has he been to the Dead Sea? Has he been on any of the biologics at all? If he doesnt have a Dermatologist, get him off to the doctors and get a referall asap.

He doesnt have to have 100% coverage at all, and starting to get it clear would be the thing to do, alongside getting him help with filling in the proper forms.

Hope it helps.

[arizona]

Getting help from someone who has severe psoriasis in the area would be a great help, I would advise David to take that help.

I also have to say you have not described what courses of treatment your son has had. I had severe psoriasis, and was taking cyclosporin to control it for a while, it helped enormously. Has he had light therapy? Has he been to the Dead Sea? Has he been on any of the biologics at all? If he doesnt have a Dermatologist, get him off to the doctors and get a referall asap.

He doesnt have to have 100% coverage at all, and starting to get it clear would be the thing to do, alongside getting him help with filling in the proper forms.

Hope it helps.
[/quote

I agree with Chappers, thats a great offer from someone in his local area 
And also the looking into treatments, there is so much more available now. I too had three years clear on ciclosporin and am soon hopefully to start infliximab infusions so i can continue to function as i am now
Has he been to a derm recently?