ben
Advice and Support Worker, Your Homes Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne
Member since
17th Dec 2007
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HB and temporary absence from home
Tue 06-May-08 03:51 PM |
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Tue 06-May-08 03:53 PM by ben
Afternoon.
I have a client who is fleeing from her home due to fear and threats of violence. She is currently staying with her only young child in a one bedroom flat which is ordinarily occupied by another family member. She has not resided in the property which she is a tenant since April 2007. Her HB claim ended sometime in June 2007, and at the time left her with a overpayment. She was offered another property by the local council with a housing management let due to harrassment. This property was unsuitable and she declined this offer.
I have been working with her since early this year and up until recently she had over £3000 of arrears. She was going to terminate her tenancy at the time of our first meeting, but due to the fact she would most likely be classed as intentionally homeless if she terminated she was advised against it. We have succesfully applied for a backdate of HB for 52 weeks under the rules and regulations for temporary abscence from home due to being away from home due to fear of violence. This backdated her HB from April 07 and April 08. In the meantime we have also managed to get her another offer from the housing department, however due to shortage of housing supply this may take at least another month. In the meantime her arrears are going up again.
I have read in the CPAG book that under exceptional circumstances HB can be awarded for longer than 52 weeks, has anyone tried this and had any success? What are the best tactics to use? What are the conditions for exceptional circumstances?
Thanks in advance.
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