How can I get a bigger house off the council?

[Dreamzcancometrue]

Hi all,

In 2016 after a brief stint staying in a hostel I started to bid for a property and successfully got a studio flat. I moved into the flat in May 2017 as a single woman. It was fine then and lived there happily until March 2019 when I gave birth to my lovely daughter and there being not enough space in the bedroom area for a large cot, I have a dbl bed which takes up most of my bedroom space . The living room and bedroom area are seperated by a big wall there aren't any doors just two entry points on either side of the walls.. Its frustrating. So Im in need of a bigger property atleast 2 bed. I live in the Southwark borough of London and I know council flats are in high demand here then any other borough. Moving out the borough is not an option for me as I have mental health issues and family support is paramount for mine and my baby's wellbeing.

Sorry im so shit at writing these type of things. If you've managed to follow up until now, basically what I'm asking is due to my mental health issues and the fact that me and my daughter are in a property that no longer suits my situation. Would the council help us?

My support worker, perinatal consultant and health visitor and GP have been advised to write me a supporting letter to back up my council housing application but not sure what else I could do?

I really would like to be re-housed so my daughter can have her own room. I can't afford to privately rent and I'm not working atm it will take me a while to get back into work.

Any suggestions would be beneficial. Thanks for reading.

Hi OP,

I second the idea of co-sleeping.
Could you private rent somewhere and claim housing benefit?
Which benefits are you in receipt of?
A lot of councils have things in place to assist with deposits.

I am a single sahm on benefits and I privately rent a 2 bed, I top up the rent with other benefits.
I know this isn't always possible but there are places where the difference is not that much.

Also, I know you mentioned you wish to stay in Southwark but there's other options such as moving to a bordering Borough which could be closer to your current location than somewhere else in Southwark.

I wouldn't hold out for the council, your housing meets your needs.

A lot of the stigma towards council/social housing tenants does come from inside the sector.

Helena I've worked in a benefits office (housing) many moons ago and although I like to think I wasn't judgemental I probably was. People who worked there were incredibly privileged compared the private sector in terms of salary and some family names were muck in my limited defence I was very young and not very well educated in terms of societal inequity.
Now I'm older and more well read (part of my degree) it makes me quite angry that people working for government are still spouting the same old tripe, believing the benefits Britain bile spouted by the press.
I know there are plenty of people who try it on but far more people need to look into the unfair life outcomes and barriers to success that whole segments of our unequal society face. They would be a damn sight more sympathetic.

Have you tried a swap locally? I'd have thought with the bedroom tax that a studio flat might have some appeal?

Could you private rent somewhere and claim housing benefit?

She absolutely shouldn't do this. Council tenancies are secure so anyone who has one should never leave it unless they are sufficiently well off to cushion themselves against the high rents and instability of the private sector. Housing benefit is capped and actual rent rates are much higher so tenants have to find the deficit from wages or benefits (almost impossible).
Not to mention if you get evicted due to being unable to afford the rent you will be intentionally homeless and not entitled to any housing help.

Could you private rent somewhere and claim housing benefit?

Finding a private landlord that will take U.C will be very difficult, added to the fact OP would very likely not pass the private renting checks, I’ve had NHS workers who are single parents earning £18k fail the checks due to not earning enough. In that particular case they were living 25 miles from work & commuting the 50 miles per day as they couldn’t move closer (they were bidding for properties without success)

www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/beds/loft-beds-bunk-beds/storå-loft-bed-frame-white-stain-art-70242086/

Double bed loft bed

Finding a private landlord that will take U.C will be very difficult, added to the fact OP would very likely not pass the private renting checks

It's not always that hard, I've managed to do this for 6 years. Private landlords are less likely to do checks, that's more what agencies do.

*Could you private rent somewhere and claim housing benefit?

She absolutely shouldn't do this. Council tenancies are secur*e

OP says she wants a two bedroom property. Yes, there are risks but you have to weigh these up against your wellbeing and happiness.
If she really wants a bigger property then she has to find one herself.

@donajimena

Anita Green
I have a friend who see how easy it was and is still in a b&b now four years later
I strongly suggest that your friend gets some legal help with that situation.

A b&B should only ever be used as an absolute last resort and for for 6 weeks maximum if there is a child. Being there for four years is unlawful and the council can be challenged on this if it is the result of a homelessness application that they made.

There is legal aid help for her to do this if she is on IS ESA or UC or has a very low income.
She can contact Civil legal advice on 0345 3454345 for a legal aid worker to challenge the council.

I'm severely disabled and eight months pregnant. I'm currently living in a tiny studio flat, no walls to separate the space between sofa and bed. I have no room at all and this is just with a moses basket - so I might even have to get rid of my sofa to fit the cot when baby outgrows the moses basket. I have stairs to access my property and me being disabled, am unable to get up and down them making myself homebound. I don't know how I will be able to carry my pram/carseat up and down them if I cannot carry myself. My mum cares for me but she lives 25 minutes away so this is also causing me hardship. The council are doing nothing to move me on disability grounds, hardship grounds - let alone overcrowding grounds. It upsets me that I'm left being unable to leave my home, even have medical evidence including a lengthy occupational therapist report (which states it was cause myself and my baby harm to continue living here) and the council have shoved me to bid for properties - in which my area has one accessible property to bid on maybe every four months. Yet I know someone who has moved into a three bedroom house with one child just because they were addicted to drugs.