Published on 12, July, 2020
I already made a post here with a full background of events:https://community.autism.org.uk/f/adults-on-the-autistic-spectrum/17545/autistic-and-homeless-for-13-years-looking-for-advice-people-s-experiences
Here I will keep it much more brief.
I am homeless and have been put in a temporary accommodation hostel over christmas. I've been beaten up here twice, and they clearly see that people bully me, and i'm not high functioning enough to talk my way out of danger.
now the council say I must move out
the options the council are giving me is:
Does anyone have experience with the council ? or homelessness while having autistic spectrum disorder?
They don't seem to care, and seem to be treating my traits and symptoms as me being "difficult".
I really want to try shelter. its hard to get a meeting though, or get through to their helpline.
thanks, that's a really good idea.
I went to CAB, they signposted me somewhere else.
I went and spoke to a legal adviser, but her advice was "priority need is hard to argue, and appeals don't usually work as the courts side with the council" also said that when councils refer people for medical examinations, the examiners side with council too.
Legal adviser says my appeal is my argument is that my condition makes me "more vulnerable than a normal person if homeless".
and apparently I am not bad enough to be considered that. I don't want to pretend or exaggerate my traits, but a lot of the documents the council have have lies about me written on them. Things i did not say, and assumptions they have made about me.They also often call me by the wrong gender like they've copy and pasted the words from somewhere else. like they just have templates for rejecting people.
I'm really at a loss. The supported accommodation rejected me because my "support needs were too high for them". now i'm being refereed to supported accommodation for heroin and crack addicts and people with severe mental health problems.
im at a loss and its making me not eat, barely sleep, hardly leave the house. and have constant meltdowns and depression.
im glad i found this forum. it feels like im not so alone anymore.
the legal adviser says i need a rediagnosis of my condition to make a strong case, but doesnt know how to find someone to do that.
Try calling Shelter or you have a local office go in as they are housing specialists. Citizens advice might also be able to help.
Citizens Advice Bureau could advise you. They're usually in town centres. Would social services be able to help or is it them who are suggesting you move to the supported accommodation? Your council will have a list of councillors with their details, inc any positions they hold on the council. There will be a councillor in charge of Adult social care (or similar title). You could try contacting them to see if they can help.
exactly how i feel. huge disappointmentface
it's an almost impossible battle. and also I need a medical expert to re-diagnose me as autistic i think. to show them exactly what my condition is like
That seems totally crazy for them to say that " not more vunerable......"
I had hoped so too. they did their own version of an assessment on me at the council homeless centre. They have said that I am "not more vulnerable than an ordinary person who is homeless" so they don't have a duty of care.
I don't know what a welfare officer is, or how to get one.
I would have thought they have a duty of care!...You need to be assigned a welfare officer!