Rejected by Council:(

[JoyForever]

Hi,

I currently live in a WA refuge and the council has recently rejected my homeless application. The very same council who referred me to the refuge. I am a single woman with no children and I was unaware of the fact that I have to prove my vulnerability. This is not fair and I am struggling to cope. Anyone single ladies who had these experiences?

[KIP.]

If the council referred you to refuge then surely that showed they thought you were vulnerable? Can you put this to them?

[JoyForever]

Hi KIP,

That’s what I thought but it turns out that having fled DV does not make single women like me automatically priority need (unless you have children). I have to prove my vulnerability as they compare us to “the ordinary person if made homeless”.

I have no support in my refuge- no one is advocating for me, including manager. I’m doing it all by myself- now getting legal advice. It’s affecting me so badly. I thought I’d get all the support I need but never knew I’d struggle this much.

[KIP.]

Have you spoken to your GP for a supporting letter? You really need someone on your side helping you. Citizens Advice might be able to help. Shelter?

[JoyForever]

Yes, I have. My solicitor will be in touch with with the GP. Shelter has been very helpful. The only ones who are guiding me. Still, havinv no support from my refuge is getting to me. All I receive is silence.

[KIP.]

I’m glad you’re having some support. Perhaps you could talk to someone at the refuge and ask for more support. Do you have a women’s aid advocacy worker on your case?

[JoyForever]

I did today and will do with the manager. No, I don’t. How can I access one?

[fizzylem]

Its dreadful how people are being treated this way; it’s because there isn’t enough social housing for demand; the real number of vulnerable people and people in general in need of housing support is unknown and it is because this. My son and his girlfriend cant get a morgage on their wage and cant afford the rents. Too many people owning more than one house and too many people in need of just one. It’s messed up isnt it.

What do they expect you to do here? Stay in refuge forever? I’m suprised no one is helping you at the refuge, after all, they can’t turf you out with no new place lined up.

On what grounds have they rejected you being homeless? It’s BS, it’s all about their figures and not recording how many people are homeless and in need housing. It’s also tactical, putting obstacles in place so that some people go away. It’s appauling that we have to fight to say we’re homeless now – disgusting. If they accept you are homeless then they have to do something about this; so they think the answer is to not accept you are homeless, the actual homeless figure recorded then doesn’t show you and others does it.

You have a place to stay for now; so keep going. Give them what they ask for and contest it until you get what you need. Have you found out who you can complain to about this? Who is it holding the people for this decision accountable? Sit tight, it always takes much longer than we hope or imagine to sort housing out x

[JoyForever]

Council says I am not priority need, in other words, I am not vulnerable enough. I am a DV survivor and to be told this is absolutely disgusting. In Wales, you are getting rehoused without question but here…

[fizzylem]

So you are not a priorty need and not vulnerable enough yet you are staying in temp accomodation for DV. ‘Everyone’ needs a home, shelter to meet our basic needs – without a home a person can not function in life. Affordable housing is a huge problem.

Yes get a WA support worker from your local charity, the refuge should know who this is, or you can have a look on your local council’s website and there should be a number on there; if you have no joy then call the WA helpline as they have the number too.

Same in Scotland; they have more of a social conscience – want to help people – not present here is it under this government – too many people out for themselves / the as long as I’m alright jacks.

Have they accepted you onto the list anyway? Without a priorty need? Does this mean you can apply to housing associations as well now?

Google housing help and advice for your area, where I live there is a charity set up to help people get housed that is nothing to do with council – they help navigate and get people over the obstacles.

[JoyForever]

Thanks Fizzylem. I know it’s really bad. I am homeless and it’s too expensive to stay in a refuge. I currently get support from WA ‘No woman turned away’ project; they are trying to contact the manager from yesterday but she hsn’t got back to them. They were even lied to by my local WA saying my refuge workers are on holiday which is untrue! It is WA speaking to WA; why the secrecy?

I am not on the waiting list as I have not lived long enough. I will be in February though; they might still say I can’t because I live in a different borough but it is still a refuge!

There are no helpful organisations in where I live, which is a shame

[Author]

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