u/msbunbury

Hi all, I am trying to find out what the deal is when a person's disabilities mean they require somebody else living with them. A family member lives in a HA flat which is adapted for disabilities. They receive the highest rates of PIP, they have UC with LCWRA, they aren't able to work at all so no earnings, and importantly they have been on the UC for long enough that they get SDP added since they live alone. Their rent is fully covered by UC. Recently they've faced a new health challenge, which has involved several brain surgeries and left them currently in a position where they aren't safe to live alone, for two different reasons. Firstly physically because a) they're a fall risk and b) they are high risk for emergencies due to a newly installed internal medical device, and secondly because whilst they have basic capacity mentally to make their own decisions etc, they have been left with a brain injury which means they have very little memory, for example they couldn't be trusted alone cooking in case they forgot they were doing it. Currently they have a family member staying on their sofa temporarily, I don't know whether or not UC are aware of that but it's only been a week since they came out of hospital. Could this person be allowed a two bedroom flat, if they could get one allocated? Would they get an increase in their UC housing element? I assume they'd lose their SDP which would be difficult. I'm in contact with the council about the housing but we're really unsure whether to proceed with a formal request for a new flat because if they got a two bed, lost SDP and then didn't get the two bed housing element, that could be financially catastrophic since they are already in a difficult position with money because they can't drive anymore. I will be very grateful for any advice, thanks.

I booked a stay at short notice for one month (due to a family medical emergency abroad, not that this is Booking.com's problem, I realise) and on the day I was due to check in, I was contacted by the host who told me they had removed the apartment from the site over a year ago and would not honour the booking. I had paid £1.5k. Booking.com have been helpful but because I'm so stressed, I'm not sure whether I've properly understood the offer. They've cancelled the £1.5k booking and are processing a refund, which is great and obviously to be expected. They've offered an alternative property for the rest of the month, costing £4k, and said that if I book this, they will at the end of the stay give me the difference between the stays in Booking.com credit. Or they say I can book something else myself, send them the invoice showing it's paid, and they will then give me the difference. However it's unclear whether they mean they will give me credit or whether they will refund the actual money I put up. To be perfectly honest, it will be a massive struggle to find the £4k upfront, particularly when the £1.5k is likely to take twelve days to come back to me. I would have to use a credit card to fund the extra £2.5k, which means Booking.com credit is not particularly useful to me. Does anybody know whether they might give the refund as cash? If not, I will just have to find somewhere that isn't £4k, but unfortunately apartments are very limited close to the hospital so if I have to find somewhere much cheaper, I'll be paying a fortune for taxis instead. I don't blame the website for this and I totally understand that there's probably no legal requirement for them to just give me £2.5k, but I could also really do without this stress right now, I'm having to find a hostel each morning for the night ahead until I can get something more sensible sorted out.

Hi, I'm a British tourist on holiday in Málaga and my sister has become very ill and had brain surgery at the Carlos Haya hospital. I am desperately looking for an apartment to let for a month as she will be in the hospital for that long and I need somewhere close by to stay. My current apartment ends on the seventh of August. I need something within walking distance really as I have no way to drive and I am in danger of running out of money if I keep having to use Uber.

Claimant in Wales, receives UC(LWCRA) and PIP. Lives in social housing. Travelled to Spain on holiday for two weeks. Whilst there, has suffered severe medical emergency and is now awaiting surgery unable to communicate, will be several weeks in hospital at best, worst is death to be honest. This is a family member, I am neither an appointee or legal next of kin, NOK are with the patient and handling that side of things. We are concerned about the benefits, UC I believe were aware the person was going on holiday but it's almost certain that they will now be out of the country longer than permitted. I am very concerned about loss of benefits and even loss of housing in this situation. What can/should I do?