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oscar;1420148 wrote: Not that I am aware of hence Cameron forcing them to downsize.

The Irony with the lady I have been with today went on to complain that her benefit meant she couldn't heat the house properly and her family don't visit as much as she'd like...

I'm going to do my best starting with a drive round some of the lovely small bungalows we have In the area for the elderly with lovely little patio'd gardens. Maybe If she see's how nice they are, she may consider downsizing.


That's a good thought...maybe if she could see some alternatives, it would help her to see that she could be better off moving to a smaller property

oscar;1420148 wrote: Not that I am aware of hence Cameron forcing them to downsize.

The Irony with the lady I have been with today went on to complain that her benefit meant she couldn't heat the house properly and her family don't visit as much as she'd like...

I'm going to do my best starting with a drive round some of the lovely small bungalows we have In the area for the elderly with lovely little patio'd gardens. Maybe If she see's how nice they are, she may consider downsizing.


She might do, good luck, I hope she can see it as not being kicked out of her lifetime home but as a move to lesser responsibility and an easier life where she is all on one level and has less space to heat and maintain. She would also be amongst those her own age and hopefully get to socialise, my Mum's block of flats is a hive of activity where the majority are elderly. My mum is making meals for a poorly lady in her block who normally has those frozen meals delivered but she's at a stage where she wants 'soft' foods. Mother noticed she's lost a lot of weight and has been feeding her up for the last month. It gives Mum a purpose and the lady really appreciates it, to the point where she has sung Mum's praises so much the lady's son is a local butcher and Mum is now having problems paying for her meat at the butchers, they won't let her pay :wah:

Betty Boop;1420156 wrote: She might do, good luck, I hope she can see it as not being kicked out of her lifetime home but as a move to lesser responsibility and an easier life where she is all on one level and has less space to heat and maintain. She would also be amongst those her own age and hopefully get to socialise, my Mum's block of flats is a hive of activity where the majority are elderly. My mum is making meals for a poorly lady in her block who normally has those frozen meals delivered but she's at a stage where she wants 'soft' foods. Mother noticed she's lost a lot of weight and has been feeding her up for the last month. It gives Mum a purpose and the lady really appreciates it, to the point where she has sung Mum's praises so much the lady's son is a local butcher and Mum is now having problems paying for her meat at the butchers, they won't let her pay :wah:


It's these sort of actions that can restore our faith in our fellow humans :-6

theia;1420153 wrote: That's a good thought...maybe if she could see some alternatives, it would help her to see that she could be better off moving to a smaller property
I hope she will see how nice they are and how much easier It will be to keep the garden and heat the house.

I'll also look for her on line for council swaps for something smaller as that's an option also.

If her housing benefit Is cut, she must pay the shortfall. If she doesn't, they'll evict her.... that's the harsh reality.

oscar;1420040 wrote: No, you can have savings of £6,000 max. Youmust have nothing to get a crisis loan Interest free.

That's what I said.


Most people could only survive for about three months without any money coming in. The average savings in this country are considerably less than £6,000, if you're self employed and business is turning turtle then the odds are you will have used any savings trying to keep afloat. Your house can be repossessed if you miss just two payments, although in practice they will come and go a little. You also have to get the lender to agree to your switching to interest only. In the present market any equity in your property is likely to go since they had any debt to the mortgage and then you have the problem of selling it and finding somewhere to live.

By co-Incidence, I have spent an hour this afternoon with an elderly lady confused by the Bedroom tax.

We got talking and I explained to her It was partly due to the many young people even with families In bed and breakfast waiting for social housing.

She has a very large 3 bedroomed council house. A large lounge, dining room, kitchen, downstairs toilet and upstairs bathroom. Added to this Is a large outhouse on the side of the building and large garden which Is completely over-grown because she can't manage It.

She was Insistent that she had lived In the house for decades and raised a family there. It was very difficult finding the words to tell her that In reality, It was not her house.

She see's It as her house as do many people In this situation. It ended up with her saying she Is not moving and won't pay the rent If her benefit Is cut...


Having been through this a couple of times now with relatives I think part of the problem in getting someone to move to sheltered housing is getting them or them accepting that they are no longer completely independent and actually need help. It's easy to criticise their families but the days when we all lived grew up and died within the same town are long gone.

It's all the fault of the welfare state, it used to be old people just died now we keep them alive.

gmc;1420201 wrote:



Having been through this a couple of times now with relatives I think part of the problem in getting someone to move to sheltered housing is getting them or them accepting that they are no longer completely independent and actually need help. It's easy to criticise their families but the days when we all lived grew up and died within the same town are long gone.

It's all the fault of the welfare state, it used to be old people just died now we keep them alive.


The woman I am talking about doesn't need sheltered accomodation, just a smaller home but I know what you mean.

oscar;1420211 wrote: The woman I am talking about doesn't need sheltered accomodation, just a smaller home but I know what you mean.


I know she needs the rooms in case her family visit.