to not lend money to a friend knowing that she will need to sell some family heirlooms

[eedon]

She hasn't so much as asked, but given very obvious hints and I know she would accept it. She knows I've lent to another friend as it worked out to be good business for us both and it was all legal and documented. However I don't really want to do it again.

I know she has some very valuable war medals and some non reproduction antiques that she keeps hidden away, so I know she isn't desperate but she has said shes getting them revalued. Surely that's what they are there for?

She's gone through a breakup and lost her job a few months ago and nothing else lined up yet.

is she planning on going bankrupt?

If you've got the money, and if the heirlooms are actually properly valued, you could offer to buy them off her for the value, on the proviso that in 6 months or whatever time scale she's hinted at, she either buys them back or you sell them. That way it's her trusting you, not vice versa.
However if you can't do that or even would just prefer not to be involved then Yanbu staying out of it.

Can she not temp until she finds permanent work? Any job would be better than none and it sounds like she has no children so can take pretty much any hours.

Maybe it's the long term game for a council place but if she's evicted for not paying the rent I don't think they are obliged to home her.

So she has saved money, has things she can sell but hasn't paid her rent and bills and now wants to borrow money from you.

I wouldn't give her anything. She going to be chased for the outstanding debts where ever she goes. I suspect she going to find it hard to be rehoused by the council. She be looking for a sofa to crash on.

Do not lend. Only twice have I felt moved to act by friends circumstances (both had kids and worked hard and circumstances were hard). At that point I worked out what I could afford to give them,emphasised that it was a gift and if they accepted it would never mentioned again. Not life changing amounts x

Sorry , but she sounds like a bit of a chancer to me.I wouldn't lend her any money.
It would be different if she had made every attempt to pay her rent and her bills, including selling or pawning her valuables. But she hasn't. She's looking for the easy way out ,at your expense.