Medical Priority Cases
MLRC once again assisted many clients who had applied for medical priority to attach to their applications for social housing supports but who, many months after submitting the required evidence, remained waiting for a decision. Unlike an application for social housing, there is no statutory time limit for a local authority in processing a medical priority application. These cases presented issues for persons who were close to the top of the social housing list but whose medical situation had changed in a manner that would impact on their housing needs. MLRC dealt with cases involving people requiring special adaptations, single floor accommodation, or an additional bedroom, based on their medical evidence. Delays in completing a medical priority assessment could result in clients being offered medically inappropriate allocations that they would have to refuse, which had the potential of impacting on their housing entitlements. In other cases, delays in considering the medical needs of clients raised concerns under the Equal Status Acts or resulted in clients residing in inappropriate accommodation which endangered their health. This was particularly concerning for families residing in medically inappropriate emergency accommodation, placing family members at risk or preventing family members from being discharged from hospital due to health risks. In a number of these cases, MLRC engaged with the local authority in question, highlighting the medical evidence provided by our clients and advocating for their transfer to accommodation which complied with their medical needs. Following our correspondence, these clients were either moved to more appropriate emergency accommodation or allocated housing which facilitated their family living together in safety
Case Study 1
MLRC assisted a family who were unable to bring their baby who had serious medical issues, home from hospital due to their ongoing homelessness. We assisted the family with applying for medical priority and engaged extensively with the relevant local authority, highlighting that the complexity and severity of the medical needs involved meant private rentals or emergency accommodation were utterly unsuitable for the family. The local authority subsequently allocated a permanent home to the family. Providing a home for one’s family is a fundamental human need and we were delighted to be able to assist this family on this occasion.
Case Study 2
MLRC assisted a large migrant family with several children with complex medical needs facing homelessness due to eviction from private rented accommodation. One child was very ill, and at severe risk of infection. There is a scarcity of properties with sufficient bedrooms to house larger families. We engaged with homeless services and the housing section of the relevant local authority, clarifying their medical needs and the duties owed to them under law. In the end the family was allocated a permanent home.
