Can anyone offer advice on my brothers situation and who is best to contact. Please.

[charlie82]

Hi.
My brother is 17 and lives with his mum in a tiny, tiny one bedroom flat and try to survive on £56 a week between them. I know that the people who live in the same block are into drugs ranging from cannabis to heroin and crack. My mums on off boyfriend who lives next door is into heroin and I know my mum does it too on occasions. My mum cant support him anyone more and my brother is going mad. He wont leave the flat as the people are really rough and gets threatened to get beaten up by blokes he used to know. In a year he has only left the flat four or five times. Myself and my sisters live in Devon (different county to brother) and try to help out as often as we can with food and money for there gas/electric meter. Often they have neither. My brother wants to live nearer to us (sisters) but we cannot support him. Is there a way to get him down to devon on housing benefit or something before ends up harming himself.

Sorry to ramble, can’t really explain how bad situation is in one paragraph, any advice will be much appreciated.

[jb190281]

really difficult with 17 year olds, as the Local Housing Allowance only pays 'a bedsit' rate at this age. If he can find something, great, but I know in my area, Cheshire, it can be difficult, depending on the town. i would suggest that he approaches the local council housing dept, they can arrange referrals to housing projects and give advice on any other options that may be available to him.

[sara3]

assuming he is not working, he also needs to look into what other benefits he may be entitled to. I'm not sure how the £56 you mention has been calculated, but it doesn't sound right to me.

[charlie82]

No he's not working and wont whilst living in his area. But would like to find a little summer job in Devon. His options are quite limited, he didnt finish school and his reading and writing is quite poor. The £56 is what my mums gets to pay for food and bills etc each week. Why she gets such a small amount I dont know. She cant work as her health isnt good but they say shes not entitled to health benefits (or whatever it called). I'll phone my local council tomorrow and see what they say. Bedsit is all he wants. Worried they'll just say he doesnt live my area at the moment and will refer me back to his local council to find a place.

[4getmenot]

lots of factories about that pay good money

[craft1948]

Any chance of him finding a live-in job at a hotel or something similar.

[karenmac60]

I know all authorities are different, but mine will let you apply for a house if you have family living within that authority. Check your local housing dept.

[welshlibranr]

I hope it works out for you and your brother, at least the Summer season is about to start, so maybe he can look at getting some seasonal work in Devon for now, might be an option in the short term, some Holiday sites will give accomodation for the season! Maybe this could give him a start?..................

[Schlomo78]

Karenmac has a point, last year I moved from one housing authority to the other as I have had health problems (depression) and I was classed as vulnerable, being kicked out by my exes house with our 2 year old. Because I had family in the area already and a support network they agreed, maybe you could bring this up with someone as he sounds pretty vulnerable. You could also try the CAB, or http://www.connexions-direct.com/ and ask tghem if they know how he could get help. Surely even if he moves into a bedsit for a while until he gets sorted, it will be better than the alternative.
Wish you all the best of luck, let us know how it goes :)

[Nosha123]

how awful for him... I have no other advice here - other than maybe campsite or caravan parks for work.. then he could live in one of the mobile home units...

Its not ideal.... but he needs to get away from that area and that life to try and make a start for himself...

Wish him luck!

[charlie82]

Thank you all for your answers. Gives me some ideas on how to help. Also spoke to council today and said he should pop in for a meeting with them.