How do I get a council house?

[Breastfeedingworries]

Evening ladies, I’m in a huge pickle.
Apologies that’s it’s quite a long post. Trying to keep it brief as I can without the inevitable drip feed. 💧

(I understand this thread may twist and turn in a lot of directions but I’m tired and I’ll just gloss over the negatives and ignore so save your fingers vipers)

Me and my mum have a very up and down relationship. She does belittle my parenting and put me down a lot, but is also super helpful and supportive. The main issues are her not wanting me to grow up, or worrying I won’t manage. I’m 32!

I moved back home after a break up, I’d lived away for a year. (I never left for uni or anything) so I’m not experienced with bills or money management really.

I’ve got single mum friends who rent and struggle ect and I really want to get a housing Association or council house. (I know impossible right!)

I just want to turn my life around, main reason for wanting one is I’d love to be able to own one day.

My mum drinks a lot, every day, so that can lead to a lot of arguments and stress and I feel so unhappy a lot of the time. I love her, and my dad but I am feeling really depressed at the moment.
My mum and dad are also vulnerable and I feel so trapped here.
I’m lonely, I want to see my friends, I’ve had a lot of struggles in lockdown and I need freedom.

I don’t know how to ask the council, my mums said she’ll write to them kicking me out but I then worry I’d be on social services radar and there’s nothing wrong.

If I choose private renting iMll never be able to buy. I’ve got a deposit that I’ve got in inheritance.

One day I just want to be in my own two feet. Most days when not sorting my daughter I hide away in my room. Nothing is mine, I can’t have a Christmas tree. I’m just unhappy and don’t know where to begin.

Thanks for reading ladies.

What about a shared ownership property?

You need to get a job. Seriously, I know this sounds harsh, but you can’t have independence unless you work for it. You’re already very lucky to have your inheritance.

Get a job and a rental.

I’m pretty shocked you have a deposit but still think you should be entitled to a council house.
Get a job and find a private rented place. It sounds like you need to stand on your own two feet and learn some life skills

It’s not my money, it can only be used for deposit and it isn’t in my name or account. My parents helped both siblings so will help me they inherited the money and said they’d use it for for purpose.

I’m suprised they would given our relationship but we do love each other. Me and my mother clash awfully. Both my siblings are married and in the failure, the black sheep.

I want a job and a life. She did say tonight she wants me gone.

I’ve always worked since I was 14, I was made redundant.

Everyone says get a job, never mind childcare costs more than I’d earn! It isn’t simple when you’re single, and have zero childcare. Also you have to actually have an interview and get the job.

Did you register with then when you had baby? Is she on your application? How many bedrooms are there in your parents house?

Honestly at 32 with a 2 year old is time to grow up.

That means moving out and managing your own household. Unless there's some learning difficulties or other special needs, it's just something you learn to do by doing it. Plenty of apps, websites etc.

Does your DD get free nursery hours? Def use them and then use the time to study or work out how to improve your job prospects

Have you considered shared ownership housing OP?

These're advertised on rightmove

@Breastfeedingworries how large a deposit would you parents give you? It would
Probably work out cheaper in the long run to pay a mortgage and than rent over the longer term.

I understand affording childcare is so difficult. If your child is almost 2 will they be getting their free hours soon? That’ll help massively.

@PucePanther

Do they give council houses to those with savings? Yes. But you have to pay rent out of your savings, you won’t get housing benefit.

Depends on area. Some won't let people go the list if they have savings over a certain amount.

Thanks all. Sorry I’m tired and my typings all over the shop.

I had some money and sent her two days while I did some temp work, they had 7 cases in just two weeks so I’ve had to stop her going. (She’s been isolating too) so I have been really trapped!

Even in January my mums said she’s not happy for her to go to nursery because of the risk.

So no childcare unless I move out.

I am sure my mum will kick me out, she has said she’d write to the council.

I’m scared about being housed with others or out in B and B. But I guess it’s route it will take.

Shared ownership you need a job, proof of earnings. I’m not currently working.

None of the savings are in my name, Or mine. I don’t even know for sure if I will have them. My mums mood changes whenever she’s drank anything.

It's pretty standard for whoever you're living with to write a letter saying they're kicking you out so you hop to the top of the council list tbh. It does sound like your living situation is untenable so do it and see what the council can offer you.

I see why you mentioned social services. If your mum's drinking is problematic than yes it's possible they might want to work with you. Your dc won't be 'taken off you' (although they might recommend against your mum providing childcare), but depending on the situation and their assessment, they might want to place you in emergency accommodation. That might be a b&b or hostel but it depends on the area. Is there no way you could rent somewhere privately? If the savings aren't in your name (they're in your mum's?) you can claim benefits. Also are you getting child maintenance from the father?

It’s not my money, it can only be used for deposit and it isn’t in my name or account
You can’t claim benefits for years then just magically produce a lump sum of cash to buy your council house. They would want to know where the money came from. So your parents would have to possess the money legally and show they were gifting it to you. They couldn’t have their names on the house when you purchase it, the money would have to be a gift.

Have you thought about the costs of owning a house? You wouldn’t be eligible to claim housing benefit so you’d have to pay the mortgage plus insurance and repairs etc. Home ownership is expensive. You’re actually more secure as a permanent council tenant on housing benefit.

Remember with homes bought off the council, there's potentially large bills as a leaseholder for repairs, etc.

And, it's not impossible that England follows Scotland, NI, and Wales in finally banning right to buy.

My mum works in private health care, she’s self employed not currently working, her alcohol problems are not known to anyone but the family. She does not provide childcare.

I’m more worried that if I’m homeless would social services have grounds to put my dd into care.
Owning the house is extremely far off and more of a pipe dream I’m aware of that. I’m thinking more the option, the security.

Has anyone been in this situation?

Thanks for all the responses good and bad.

Yes my parents would be gifting it, if they end up doing that at all. It’s a future long ahead and far off. They’d only be gifting because they did for siblings. Things aren’t great right now.

If you earn under £10,000 I think it is (not a 100% sure but i remember a friend got it) you can get 2 year old funding an nursery for 15 hours I think it is.
So if you for now found a job for 16 hours a week or whatever childcare wouldn’t be an issue. I wouldn’t rely on your mother for this and I’m not sure why you would want to if she drink a lot. I would just apply, surely they must be a part where you can state why you need a house where you can say strained relationship with alcoholic mother. You can privately rent too some landlords do accept housing benefit

They won't put your dc into care just for being homeless. They'd house you together.

You would probably be better privately
Renting if it is just you alone, there was a thread on here not long ago asking how people afford to do up their council homes, because when they moved in all flooring etc was ripped up it was literally
Concrete flooring etc. Where as private landlords have to keep homes to a certain liveable state xx

Your mum needs to write a letter to you (not the council) to formally evict you. You take that to the council. They put you in temporary accommodation, probably a room with limited cooking facilities and a shared bathroom, which you will have to pay for if you have an income/savings or will be paid for from housing benefit if not.

Then you apply (bid) for council houses/flats. You will be near the top of the list because of your child but it could still take a couple of months as there’s limited availability. The more flexible you are about what and where you’ll accept, the quicker you’ll be out of the temporary accommodation.

You will not go straight from your mum’s house to your own home unless you rent privately.

Who's your LA? They usually have a housing scheme and your fist port of call would be to try and sign up with with them.

It doesn't sound like a bad idea for your mum to ask you to move out tbh. You don't want your DD around the problematic drinking.

I'm my area you would be priorised due to being kicked out and having a young DD. You may not be prioritised for certain types of housing, for instance round this area you those in employment currently get priority for new builds.

Try and do some online courses if you can, (some are free, OpenLearn from the OU is good) a friend of mine works in recruitment and she said the number of applications per job has soared due to a large amount of people having lost their job during Covid. Anything you can do to strengthen your application will help.

Regarding childcare.. Are you getting the benefits you're entitled to? Tax Credits will pay a percentage of your childcare dependant on earnings.

www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-credits

SS will not remove your child due to your housing situation. Don't panic.

Sorry I notice in your OP that you say you are lonely and want to see your friends ok I understand that but you may find that being offered a council place or even temp accommodation may not help that as there is no guarantee that you will be offered a place in your local area, many councils move people to different areas and there are only certain circumstances that will allow you to refuse a place in an area you don't want to move to. I would look on your councils website to see if they have a housing solutions department like this one www.durham.gov.uk/housingsolutions. Some councils have a list of LLs who take benefit claimants, some offer money for deposits etc, it may not be the council house you want but you may have options you hadn't thought of

@HeddaGarbled she may well do. I know of plenty of families who went straight to a house rather than temp accommodation.

Obviously depends what the housing situation is like wherever the Op is.

This is Shelter's advice on council housing.

You are dealing with two different issues - how to apply for council housing is completely separate from your hopes to one day buy a house of your own.
Focus on getting a council house so that you have more control over your own day-to-day life. You may well have to stay in temporary accommodation to begin with. Ask the council what the average waiting time is.
The fact that you cannot send your DD to nursery school could be seen as detrimental to her development and I would ask the Shelter advice line for their thoughts on this and how best to talk to the council about it.