Tuesday 15 August 2017

Nowhere to go

A disabled woman says housing won't help her because she is either too disabled or not disabled enough. On the face of it thats discrimination and if so is wrong. Housing law is complex though and the legal definition of homlessness which gives rise to a duty to house very specific.

Much is made in the article of her disability which would make finding a home more difficult. However being disabled doesn't make getting support automatic, she has to be unintentionally homeless.

This article poses more questions that it answers. Why are the LA, not meeting their duty, or not accepting they have one? If they are sending her to providers who can't assist her, then should they not liase to help her find a solution? Why are they not working with Social Services to support her more? If they have offered her money and that isn't enough are they helping her find somewhere where that is enough?

The LA may have acted correctly and done all it can, it may not. None of that changes the fact that there needs to be more accessible housing, and more support to locate it. Even if you can buy it can take years to find a suitable property. Even getting an agent to understand what suitable for adaption means is a challenge! If you have a disability, its never as easy as find a property and move in.




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