Advice and Support news (pdf) - Your Homes Newcastle

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How to turn a house intoYou finally have that tenancy you wanted!There’s a big problem though - no furniture!Most properties in the UK come without essential goods. In the private sector there is morechance that you can find a furnished property, or at least one with carpets and a fitted kitchen.In the council and housing association sector, it’s possible to still findsome fully furnished properties, but most properties routinely comewith nothing - no sofa, no table and chairs, not even a curtain rail.It can feel very depressing and isolating but don’t despair -help is at hand...Newcastle Furniture Service (NFS)Newcastle Furniture Service (NFS) currentlysupports over 8,500 households inNewcastle. NFS will supply you with itemsof furniture in exchange for a weeklypayment that is added to your rent.The choice of furniture items available rangefrom sofas, beds and washing machines tomicrowaves, crockery and cutlery.The furniture is leased for a weekly chargewhich is added to your rent. Every item offurniture available on the “Options” schemehas a points value so you can choose whichitems suit you best.When you have finishedchoosing your items you addup the points total to see which“Option” band you fit into:• Option 1: 110 points £17.57per week• Option 2: 160 Points £22.13per week• Option 3: 200 Points £28.63per week• Option 4: 240 Points £35.13per weekAn NFS furniture pack will increase your rentby the amounts below but if you are on fullHousing Benefit you won’t pay a penny. Aslong as you have a clear rent account youcan send the furniture pack back when youare ready to buy your own things or want toreduce your rent to go back to work.NFS furniture packs are a massive help tohelp people who are dependent on benefitsto start a home. Talk to your housingofficer at the start of your tenancy to get itorganised.6
a home on a shoe string!Carpets, curtains and otheressential items...An NFS pack doesn’t cover things like carpetsand curtains, so you may be able to apply fora Community Care Grant (CCG) if you are onIncome Support, Income Based Jobseekersor Employment and Support Allowance orPension Credit (qualifying benefits) and youwon’t have to pay this back.As long as you are in receipt of a qualifyingbenefit you may be able to apply for aCommunity Care Grant immediately.You can also apply for a Budgeting Loan (BL)to help furnish your new home. This mustbe paid back but it is interest free. You musthave been in receipt of a qualifying benefitfor 26 weeks to apply for a BL. Any savingsor capital you have may affect the decision –£500 for a CCG, and £1000 for a BL (doublethe savings or capital amounts if you or yourpartner is over 60).Even if you are on a low income but noton benefits, or in the Private Sector andcan’t access a NFS furniture pack, help is stillavailable.There are a number of trust funds thatsupport workers can help you access forhelp with essential items like cookers, fridgefreezers, washing machines, beds, sofas,carpets. All you need to do is speak to asupport worker.If you are in a YHN tenancy ask to see theAdvice and Support Worker in your housingoffice. The support worker will take yourdetails, draw up a financial statement andwrite a letter of support to the organisationto help you get a grant that you do not haveto pay back.If you are in the private sector or a Housing Association property contact theNewcastle Private Rented Service on 0191 273 6103.Other sources of helpCommunity Furniture Service (CFS)(0191 224 0555) sell pre-used items, includinglarge kitchen goods in good conditionvery cheaply in both the West and East ofNewcastle.Recycle Your Furniture and Funk Your Junk(0191 222 0212) are based in Ouseburn.They collect, repair and re-sell second handfurniture that is a bit quirky and have somegood bargains in store.Gumtree (www.gumtree.com) is a freeclassifieds website listing low cost pre-useditems.Freecycle (www.uk.freecycle.org) - lots ofstuff is literally free!Charity shops are full of good quality itemsat low prices, you’ll also be helpingworthwhile causes.Getting things moved can be a problembut you can get help with removals with aCommunity Care Grant.The Community Furniture Service has a lowcost removals service and cheap deliveryservice.7
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