Anna B Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Would that be any different for me if my other half booted me out of the house tomorrow with just the cloths on my back. No, (does that make it right?) except that you probably have friends and family that can afford to put you up for a few weeks, and a job, and a bit of money put by for emergencies, and be in a city that you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 No, (does that make it right?) except that you probably have friends and family that can afford to put you up for a few weeks, and a job, and a bit of money put by for emergencies, and be in a city that you know. Most prisoners will have family and freinds. The point is that I might not have anyone I can turn to, so would just have to use the same system that is in place for everyone. Just like a ex offender might not have family and friends to turn to, many non offenders have no family and friends to turn to. Prisoners can also apply for benefits before release, they know the date they will be released so can prepare for it in advance; many non offenders become homeless and didn’t know the date it would happen so couldn't prepare in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Most prisoners will have family and freinds. The point is that I might not have anyone I can turn to, so would just have to use the same system that is in place for everyone. Just like a ex offender might not have family and friends to turn to, many non offenders have no family and friends to turn to. Prisoners can also apply for benefits before release, they know the date they will be released so can prepare for it in advance; many non offenders become homeless and didn’t know the date it would happen so couldn't prepare in advance.[/QUOTE] Can they? I thought it would be a good idea if they applied while in prison if they knew the date of their release, but I suppose that depends on the restrictions / assistance available within the prison, access to forms and documentation etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs gough Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 You don't expect that they sould be homed straight away upon release? considering that many offenders are back inside within a short space of time. They only have to go to the local housing office to be homed temporarily in an hostel. They must be given lots of information while in prison because after all no-one wants them to reoffend and I don't believe they are just simply kicked out of the door and left to fend for themselves. The probation service is there to help prisoners while in prison and on release so the help is there for the people who want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 You don't expect that they sould be homed straight away upon release? considering that many offenders are back inside within a short space of time. They only have to go to the local housing office to be homed temporarily in an hostel. They must be given lots of information while in prison because after all no-one wants them to reoffend and I don't believe they are just simply kicked out of the door and left to fend for themselves. The probation service is there to help prisoners while in prison and on release so the help is there for the people who want it. According to the TV programme, any sort of assistance is only given to offenders who have served more than so many months (can't remember how many.) There is no help for the others, and the man in question was one of these. He got no help at all except for a small cash grant of £46 and ended up living rough under some sort of building. I thought like you that help of some sort was automatic, but it's not so. I suggest you try and watch the programme on Iplayer or something. It was an eye opener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Can they? I thought it would be a good idea if they applied while in prison if they knew the date of their release, but I suppose that depends on the restrictions / assistance available within the prison, access to forms and documentation etc. Are you in ‘priority need’ because you’ve been in prison? In some circumstances, a local council may treat you as being in ‘priority need' because you have spent time in prison or on remand. Emergency accommodation if you have no housing. You may need to use emergency accommodation such as a hostel, night shelter or bed and breakfast accommodation if you have nowhere to go following your release. Hostels provide temporary shelter – some are direct access, which means you don’t need a referral from an agency to use them. Help with money before you are released from prison All prisoners are given a discharge grant paid for by the prison when they leave. This is money to help with your costs until your benefits are sorted out. If a prison housing adviser has found you accommodation for your first night, you may be given a higher discharge grant (about an extra £50), which will be paid directly to the accommodation provider. Preparing for release There are a number of key things that you will need to do when preparing and making a benefit claim before leaving prison: When you know your release date, check the earliest date from which you can make a benefit claim. Contact the Jobcentre Plus office in the area where you will be living (if you know where this is). Provide the Jobcentre Plus office with the address where you will be living (if you know this) if you are intending to claim housing benefit. Proof of identity to support benefit claims Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Are you in ‘priority need’ because you’ve been in prison? In some circumstances, a local council may treat you as being in ‘priority need' because you have spent time in prison or on remand. Emergency accommodation if you have no housing. You may need to use emergency accommodation such as a hostel, night shelter or bed and breakfast accommodation if you have nowhere to go following your release. Hostels provide temporary shelter – some are direct access, which means you don’t need a referral from an agency to use them. Help with money before you are released from prison All prisoners are given a discharge grant paid for by the prison when they leave. This is money to help with your costs until your benefits are sorted out. If a prison housing adviser has found you accommodation for your first night, you may be given a higher discharge grant (about an extra £50), which will be paid directly to the accommodation provider. Preparing for release There are a number of key things that you will need to do when preparing and making a benefit claim before leaving prison: When you know your release date, check the earliest date from which you can make a benefit claim. Contact the Jobcentre Plus office in the area where you will be living (if you know where this is). Provide the Jobcentre Plus office with the address where you will be living (if you know this) if you are intending to claim housing benefit. Proof of identity to support benefit claims Good. But don't forget this will change from one authority to another. And what they say, and what they do, can be miles apart as anyone with experience of social services and councils will know. It also depends on how long your sentence was for, apparently. It's also wrong to think that emergency accommodation, hostels etc will always be available to people in need, it often isn't. It gets full very quickly and there isn't enough to go round. And there are restrictions on how long you are allowed to stay. Homelessness is a growing problem for everyone. Anyone of 'no fixed abode' will encounter extra difficulties in trying to claim benefits. In spite of what you say, the guy released in the programme left prison with no help other than £46 grant, and the prison's best wishes. He ended up living rough under a building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spats Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Can I just ask....the very first episode was replaced last minute by a news program about Mrs T's demise. It was the one with girls in Holloway Prison. I cant seem to find when it's rescheduled for. Does anyone know? Err....anyone???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee79 Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 According to the TV programme, any sort of assistance is only given to offenders who have served more than so many months (can't remember how many.) . I think it was something along the lines of sentences under 12 months then they didn't get a probation officer and it looked like those who did get a probation officer got the help direct from the probation officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoLdFInGeR Posted April 16, 2013 Author Share Posted April 16, 2013 Err....anyone???? First episode http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01s1mdl/The_Prisoners_Episode_1/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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