iLive in a 3bed house with my disabled wife and 2 children ,my son 8yrs old and granddaughter 6yrs old,on Saturday I received a letter from housing saying that we are under occupied and could consider downsizing to a 2 bed property or make up the shortfall in housing benefit £16.35a week .Our granddaughter was placed in our care 4years ago by social services and we have a residence order from the court,both kids have their own room,we have lived here for 20yrs and have no intention of moving to a smaller property when in 15.months my son will be 10 yrs old anyway and can't share a room with a girl ,it would not be practical to move now and in 15 months would need and qualify for a 3 bed anyway,plus would probably have to wait for years to be allocated a 3 bed after moving just to avoid paying the shortfall.What I don't agree with is the fact that social services were very keen that granddaughter had her own room,yet the council think that the kids should share thus saying we have a spare room that isn't occupied,now the problem is they are not siblings ,my son is her Uncle and it is not right as far as I'm concerned an Uncle and Niece should not have to share a bedroom.If we didn't take our granddaughter on she would have ended up in care which over my dead body is not going to happen.We get no financial help for her only child benefit,if we fostered a child we would be better off money wise and could afford the shortfall ,has anyone got any comments or suggestions which might be usefull
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