On 25 Feb 2016 at 4:29am Worried Sibling wrote:
My brother is currently living in a b'n'b arranged by the council, hes lived there a year now and has been told that he is no longer a priority, and is being kicked out in less than 2 weeks. He has been diagnosed with aspergers and myself and my family are worried as he has no where to go. Any help or advice please
On 25 Feb 2016 at 6:27am Mark wrote:
Contact an organisation called Homeworks based in Eastbourne. They do clinics in Lewes from time to time. They'll be able to tell you when.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 7:06am Worried Sibling wrote:
Thank you Mark, Ill look in to it today.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 7:35am Pilgarlic wrote:
If he has Aspergers he may be eligible for support. Contact social care direct , explain the situation and request a care assessment . As of April this year social services are obliged by law to carry this out. It's important to explain how your brothers diagnosis of Aspergers impacts on him on a day to day basis. Also stress that he is at risk of being homeless. They can also refer to Homeworks.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 9:02am Metatron wrote:
Very sorry for you and your brother, I can't help you other than by offering you my good wishes.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 1:22pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Referral number for Home Works is 01273 898700. He can self-refer, he doesn't need to be referred by the council.
I'm slightly mystified though. If the council have funded a B&B placement for a year, I'd have thought that they had decided they had a duty to help him under homelessness legislation.
If they've decided they don't have a duty, Shelter can help him challenge that decision. He can also contact the Eastbourne Advice Centre on 01323 642615. They have housing advisers and a project that helps single homeless people find housing.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 1:47pm Pilgarlic wrote:
Due to his condition he may experience high levels of anxiety and find social situations extremely difficult, hence the need for support. Contact social care direct ,details on the ESCC website.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 2:27pm Nancy Boyes wrote:
How very sad that a thoughtful, measured and helpful response from A.C.T. gets a thumbs down......what is it with some people on here?
On 25 Feb 2016 at 4:56pm Fairmeadow wrote:
Contact your and/or your brother's Lewes District councillor(s) and see whether they will intervene on his behalf.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 5:00pm Autistic spectrum wrote:
Sibling, you may find an advocate for your bro. on an Autism site on the www. All the best.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 5:01pm bastian wrote:
if he needs help with paper work he can get it form citizens advice, they have people there who will fill in forms etc. He may need a family member to take him there though because anxiety can turn in on someone with his condition and make them feel unable to go and seek out help for themselves.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 5:05pm Clifford wrote:
This is the kind of thread that gives Lewes Forum a good name - a lot of practical advice and sympathy for someone in a terrible situation.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 5:29pm Mavis wrote:
Doesn't the answers on this post prove the point on the other post about everybody knowing about benefits and how to get them ?? ,!
On 25 Feb 2016 at 5:44pm Mark wrote:
Erm... I would imagine that it should be obvious that this is a case of health/social care professionals chipping in.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 6:03pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Benefits haven't been mentioned in this thread, Mavis! However, Home Works can access benefit advice if it is needed.
With regard to Adult Social Care, I regret that now that their threshold for assistance is "critical need", OP's brother may well not qualify for help.
The council have obviously decided that this poor man's Aspergers is not so severe that he will be especially vulnerable if he has to sleep rough.
I really do fear for the sort of society we are becoming.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 6:17pm Worried Sibling wrote:
Thank you all for your responses. I'll talk to my brother tonight and we'll go from there. Again thank you all so much x
On 25 Feb 2016 at 6:44pm 8 miles from home wrote:
Worried sibling. Let's hope you'll be singing "He aint homeless he's my brother* 
On 25 Feb 2016 at 7:55pm pilgarlic wrote:
Prior to April of this year , if you were assessed for funded support by Social Services (Adult social care) you would only be eligible for support if you were deemed to have a substantial or critical need. This has now officially gone , now you just have to demonstrate a need.
Having formal support would open lots of doors re access to services , housing etc, but also and probably more importantly support with ASC.
I'm assuming that your brother is living in temporary accommodation for a reason.
Where did he live before?
A couple of Advocacy services that may be of use
Powher, and S.E.A.P details on the web.
Information on local Asperger support groups on the Autism Sussex website.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 8:55pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Thanks for that info pilgarlic.
I'm now even more mystified as to why so many people who need support don't seem to get it!
On 25 Feb 2016 at 9:17pm pilgarlic wrote:
Specifically with regard to Autism , when someone gets funding it is typically reassessed after 8-12 weeks . Social workers like to see progress ,they are under pressure to then move that funding onto someone else. Unfortunately given the nature of the condition progress with regard to developing social skills, learning coping strategies can be incredibly slow so funding can be quickly withdrawn/ cut.
Reflecting what is happening in public services generally.
The other issue is care contributions, if you receive support you will be financially assessed after six weeks or so and could potentially be asked to pay a proportion or all
Of the cost of your care/ support quite often people simply can't afford or are not prepared to do this.
Also there is a lot of buck passing
EG Some one with Autism who may have an associated mental health condition could be stuck in the middle while Health and social care argue about who should fund, this applies to councils also if Someone moved from Surrey to E Sussex for example.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 10:42pm Tipex wrote:
ESCC now have to implement the eligibility criteria laid down by the government. This is a national criteria which applies to whole country. It's hated by the majority of social workers and social care professionals but they are obliged to apply it (I know of social workers who have been reprimanded for bending the rules out of compassion). I would also add that county councils are not allowed to fund housing (that's the town / district council's job) and can only fund support for needs beyond accommodation. It is predicted the numbers of homeless people will soar over the next 2 years.
OP - I really hope your brother receives the support he needs. I'd start with an ESCC assessment. They'll possibly fund SOME support but will also signpost to other relevant agencies.
On 25 Feb 2016 at 10:56pm pilgarlic wrote:
Unfortunately most social care/ health professionals knowledge of autism is minimal.Autism Is often confused with a mental health condition or learning disability . As for signposting/ referring to services , this is all very well but unfortunately specialised services for people with an ASC simply don't exist .
On 26 Feb 2016 at 4:31am Worried Sibling wrote:
He lived with our mum before and unfortunately there is no space there for him, I'd quite happily have him live with me but I'm only in a 2 bed with my partner and 2 children (one of which is also on the spectrum) he's living in a bnb in Eastbourne at present, provided by ldc.
On 26 Feb 2016 at 7:26am Worth a try wrote:
01323 722034 Paul Durrant chief operating officer Eastbourne Mencap . On their site is a vacancy @ a home in Eastbourne . BUT I don't know if the webpage is old and hasn't been edited...... Sorry, but must be Worth a try?
On 26 Feb 2016 at 7:59am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Thanks for that pilgarlic and Tipex, very informative.
The obsession with measurable outcomes is really detrimental for people whose problems won't change and who may need lifelong support. And you're so right about the rise in homelessness, Tipex - the reduction in the benefit cap is going to make it impossible for many families to sustain a tenancy in the private sector and it's getting harder and harder to find rented property at a rent that housing benefit will cover.
As from 1st April, in most of E Sussex, people on benefits will have to pay 20% of their council tax, too. Although that's only a few pounds a week, if you're only getting £73.10 even a fiver is hard to find, on top of utilities and something towards your rent.
On 26 Feb 2016 at 8:37am Celine wrote:
Well aren't we just reaping the rewards of a Tory government. I speak as someone who is v comfortably off and I hate what our society is turning into.
On 26 Feb 2016 at 8:57am Mark wrote:
We are indeed Celine and we see tangible evidence when we walk in the precinct. Beggars in Lewes. Whoever would have thought. We also see the evidence on this very forum of how a huge sector of the population have been successfully re-educated about social issues by trashy Channel 5 programmes and the Daily Mail.
On 26 Feb 2016 at 10:03pm Lewes Lady wrote:
Is there any chance that beggars come to Lewes because of it's reputation as a haven for generous, well-off, caring, leftie-leaning souls who're more likely to hand over a quid than those folks who live in Newhaven or wherever?
I've seen two packing up their stuff at about 10.30 and heading out of town by bus and train in the past fortnight alone.
Just a possibility, of course.
On 27 Feb 2016 at 9:45am Mark wrote:
I think, Lewes Lady, that the dramatic increase in the number of street people we're seeing is much more likely to be a result of central government policy than it being the result of homeless people in Newhaven suddenly having a Eureka moment about Lewes.
On 27 Feb 2016 at 10:24am Celine wrote:
I expect they are coming over from Brighton which has one of the worst homelessness problems in the country.
On 28 Feb 2016 at 10:57am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
There are a fair few who are born and bred in the district. I know some of them.
If I was homeless, I'd stay in Brighton where there are loads of projects to help them, provide them with somewhere warm to go, a decent meal, health check ups, warm clothes, internet access etc.
On 28 Feb 2016 at 9:25pm JustAKid wrote:
Mark, what specific policies have led to homelessness?
On 28 Feb 2016 at 10:27pm get real wrote:
The beggars on the streets of Lewes aren't homeless, they are junkies. Seen any sleeping in doorways? No they've all gone home after the shops close to jack-up paid for by the well-meaning but ignorant do-gooders of Lewes. All a case of supply and demand