overcrowding and family rights

[mumofsix]

my husband and i have five children between us(ages 11-16) four of them have always lived with us but number four who has special needs is living in care because we only have a three bedroomed council house, we want him with us but, two years on no housing has come up we have been put on the list for a single room extension but the list is at least 18 months long not only too long to wait but as we were overcrowded in the first place not much help. council are no help, social services backing us but saying its council problem, who do we go to?

[bednobs]

you have 4 choices
1) keep the status quo
2) rent a bigger house privately
3) look into housing association houses
4) bring your child back and be even more overcrowded, make the kids double or triple up, sleep in the lounge etc

The council simply can't give you a place that they don't have which is why you percieve them as "no help".

out of the four options above, the one i can see working out best for you is to rent privately - it can be done the quickest (no 18 month wait) and will mean you can have the famly all back together

[bednobs]

sorry, just thought of a fith option. Ask the 16 year old to get a job (if they don't already) and fnd their own accommodation, freeing up space for the one to come back from care

[mumofsix]

not blaming our local council as you may think i know housing is a problem all round. we have two 16 year olds both working and going to college can no way afford accommodation of their own,
the children do already share but our rooms are very small could not fit another in.
we are looking at private renting but at moment rents in our area are around �1,500 for a 4 bed.

[bednobs]

perhaps if you pooled all your wages (you, hubs, the 2 sixteen yr olds) you could afford that? You would probably get help from benefits (ie child tax credit, family allowance (or whatever they call it now))
if you are being housed by the council then wouldn't they also help with housing benefit?

perhaps looking at 3 bedroom houses with a seperate dining room that could be used as a bedroom might be cheaper?

i can't see anything else you can do except wait till the two have left college and are working/uni then get the other one back

[pink-kittens]

I think i am reading this right but if you one child in care then there are 7 people living in your 3 bed house? You and yr partner count as one so according to Shelter, you are not overcrowded - you dont say what sex yr kids are tho

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repai rs_and_bad_conditions/overcrowding

The ony problem with going private rented is the council wont see you as a priority and you may well drop down a category on their list - the choice is yours, but look at the link as see if it applies to you

[another-view]

Did you not think of this before you started sprogging kids out and expecting others to look after you?

[mumofsix]

just for your information not all of these children are mine, i remarried i didn't expect to have all the children come to live with me. we are not spongers, i work 22 hours a week my husband works more 50 we do not claim benefits of any kind, all i was asking was for a little advice which most have given, thankyou to them. but rudeness is not needed you have no idea of the situation you are out of order

[pink-kittens]

hmmm, reply to the rude but ignore those who have helped/tried to help - goodo

[seethepoint]

think the lady did say thankyo if you read.
sorry of the predigament not sure if its any help but you could speak to occupational health (through your local council i think)
thats if you ever come back to this site, must have made you feel very low.
not nice