To wonder how you leave with no money

[stellenbosch]

Or no family or friends that can help?

How is it possible?

In my experience, if you have dc, you don't.

If there's domestic violence you could contact Women's Aid, who should be able to help you. Otherwise people stay with friends and family, I'm afraid.

Are you married? What's your situation?

With three dcs, that's not very hopeful
Nora

You have to save as much money as you can for back up, contact benefits services, contact the council and declare yourself homeless... it’s not particularly nice but if it’s absolutely necessary for everyone’s happiness then needs must. The council would put you in temporary accommodation until a house became available.

I did it with DD (age 3 at time) in tow.

Found a small private let flat which very luckily didn’t require deposit/advance rent, and landlord was kind enough to let me live there whilst waiting for my housing allowance application to complete. Best thing I ever did.

I realise I was extremely lucky finding an understanding landlord, just letting you know there is hope.

Good luck

I have 3 children. I was housed through the council and was able to claim benefits until I found a job.
6 years on, I've bought my own house and hopefully things are looking up.
We did struggle and I still buy most of my shopping from either the reduced section of the asda fridge or from home bargains etc but it's exactly the same as the food we'd eat if we bought it full price.
Moneysavingexpert has been really useful.
Volunteering helped me to get an idea of the kind of work I could do with three children at home.

It can be done if it's what you want, if no immediate danger then finding work or more work is a priority so that you have the means to support yourself if no friends and family can help. Jobs can always be switched for something better once settled. Most LLs need you to pass a credit check etc to ensure you can afford the rent as many don't let to people on benefits.

Stellenbosch that's my experience.

I can't leave as I have no money, family, job, support or choices choi

I stayed with family until I had enough money for a place of my own. It worked well as I don’t think I could have looked after myself and dd had I been alone, not for a while anyway, so I let my mum take care of me.

You can apply to the council as a single tenant with DC and in the "other information" section of the forms explain that you don't want your OH to know you've applied as you are planning to leave but need somewhere to go before you can do so. If there is DV then tell them this too as they will have a specialist team within the housing section who deals with these applications, they can give your application priority status so that you are rehoused as soon as possible.

Save what you can, where you can. Research as much as possible, Tax Credits have a calculator online where you can enter only your details/DC details/your income as a single applicant to see what you would get. Applications are usually processed fairly quickly when moving from a joint claim to a single one, an application I helped with recently was done within ten days.

Talk to the Council and go to Citizens Advice Bureau for help with benefits. If there is no domestic abuse of any kind, do you own the house together? If yes then it can be sold and you will get a share.

Domestic abuse - Women's Aid
No abuse at all - divorce and get a divorce settlement, you may be able to stay where you live and he has to move out.

Also sometimes people will put you up sleeping in living room floor for a few weeks until benefit money comes through.

When you say “no money”, what exactly do you mean?

No access to any money even if you could save some (Financial abuse = Women’s Aid)

Or no income?

I think there are shelters that take mother's and children...

I always wondered this. I needed to leave my all round abusive Ex-p yet I didn't even have a mobile or 10p to ring Women's Aid (Pre internet and smart phone days). No one that could put me and DS up, no transport, flat rented in my name only. I remember trying to call WA from an empty office at work but I got turfed out by a senior person who told me off for being in there.

If they had managed to come and rescue me I would have been unable to continue working, (no transport, rural area) probably seen as depriving myself of a job and not entitled to benefits and I would have lost the flat.

He only left when he had another woman to go to.

Access to a phone nobody can really help with. But women's aid will phone you back.
Women's Aid will help with everything, as will many other refuges. They expect to provide toiletries, nappies, clothes, toys, accommodation, etc.

Anyone not being abused will have access to some money.