Exchange Forum

Carers allowance is £53.10 per week. – thats if you “live in”.
For that the government say you have to look after the disabled person for a minimum of 35 hours per week.

This means you are paid £1.52 per hour. This is odds to the governments own national minimum wage which is £5.80 per hour. The government say that the purpose of the care componant of DLA is to cover this deficit. Even so you would still effectively be getting only £3.53 per hour maximum.

Young carers get nothing at all. Must be over 16 to claim the allowance. Surely they deserve something and not just support (which my own daughter couldn’t get because the Birmingham Branch was too busy).

Carers who live away from the “cared for” person get paid more.

Is this fair? Morally right? Comments please.

I’ve had neighbours from hell in the past, but was lucky – my landlord removed them. But whilst it is easier for landlords to evict troublesome neighbours – they would still rather take the easy option and go down the mediation route. [...]

Using Free Exchange Sites

Here at Exchange Forum which is operated by CCHE you will find plenty of choices for finding your mutual exchange. We have many free homeswap websites which should give you the best chance to find your exchange with CCHE. [...]

Why should homeswapper be the only choice for Tenants?

It’s a question we are continually asking ourselves in our challenge to get some attention and provide you all with free services. [...]

Birmingham City Council in its infinite wisdom are paying £800 a day (Yes a day!) to a PR Guru to help them get out of the muck after their Social Services Department allowed a child to be starved to death. It already has 112 members of staff in its PR Department. I really cannot fathom their thinking when that money SHOULD have been used to train more staff in the Social Services area or it COULD have been used in its Housing Department. [...]

Pre Payment Key meters cost more for Gas and Electric

It has to be acknowledged that some of the UK’s poorest people live in Social Housing. Some of these very same people use pre-payment meters to pay for their energy charges. Ofgem, the energy market regulator, introduced new rules which prevent energy suppliers from charging prepay customers more then the cost of maintaining their meters. [...]

This is a personal blog. I admit this.  All landlords seem to have different criteria when allocating sheltered housing. My own landlord, Birmingham City Council, says you can apply when you are 50 yrs old whether you need help or not. [...]

It might be the month of Christmas but don’t let that House Exchange slip away to somebody else.

Your Exchange, could be the best Christmas Present ever!

“I want a train set” shouted Billy. “I want a new dolly” screamed Sally.

“I want to exchange this house – it’s too small” cried Mum. [...]

Right to Buy & Buy to Let

In October, the Scottish National Party decided to scrap the Right to Buy for Social Housing tenants. I’m wondering if the rest of the UK should follow suit. [...]

The 2010 Decent Homes Standard

I should imagine most Council and Housing Association tenants have heard of this government initiative to bring all homes up to standard by the year 2010.

In your own property this might include one or all of the following: double glazing, new kitchens, bathrooms, electrical rewires and heating systems. [...]