Advice on Council Housing

[xLondonLeighx]

Please see below

They won't take the child into account until it's born however supply as much evidence to support your application. It's normally a one bedroom until child turns 5 years old.
Look at intermediate rented accommodation , approach local housing associations most places privately in London start at £2,500 a month for a one bed.
Good luck

You can afford to rent privately

The most crucial aspect is where in the country you are. In most of the South (and especially London and the South East) you’d be waiting for years even if you lived in appalling conditions currently, because most councils have thousands of people waiting for a home. In parts of the country where housing is more affordable and so buying or private renting are in reach for most people, you stand more chance.

But even though you think you aren’t suitably housed currently, a newborn isn’t classed as a pressing reason to need to move if you’re already somewhere safe and permanent with family.

Forgive me for asking, but why did you get pregnant if you don't have space for a baby yet? Or even a plan for how to accommodate one? That would seem to be the responsible approach.

Depending on where you live, I would guess you'll be at the bottom of a very long waiting list. They may well ask why you aren't using your savings to pay for a deposit on a private flat/house. Which is actually a very good question!

Yes, as Keep says, they will ultimately advise you to rent privately because you have money to do that. People with no money will get more help. Can't you stay where you are and save more?

Going by your name/supposed location, they'll tell you to chuck your boyfriend out and get used to sleeping with the bedroom door open, chuck him out and get a single bed - or to move into the living room.

You'd get a place in a B&B halfway across the country if your Mum threw you out and your boyfriend left you, though.

Back in the 90s, my 2 bed (and tiny) council flat had a permitted number of five unrelated adults sharing before it was regarded as being overcrowded. It would have been reassessed as having three rooms to sleep in now.

Why do you think you need a council house? You're housed, you have savings, you earn more than enough to rent somewhere. I don't understand why you think you'd be eligible or why someone in your position would want to take a house away from someone genuinely in need.

As others have said it all depends where you live. You will be eligible for a one -bed property at the moment due to sharing facilities (bathroom, kitchen) with another household.

Once the baby is born you will be eligible for a two-bed property. However given your income and the fact that you having savings you are likely to be advised to rent privately. You may be able to claim housing benefit while you are on maternity leave. In many parts of the country you would have no hope of getting social housing before the baby is born and would have to rent privately if you want to move out from your Mum's before then.

Thanks everyone for your help.

I have no idea how to close a thread..if someone could advise on that..

Clearly people trying to put the op off, ofcourse you will be entitled to a 2 bed! In my council babies are counted as a person from 6 months of pregnancy.

Why do you want a council house?

You earn double what I earn and we have a mortgage. Why would you choose a cramped council flat when you could rent / buy and get somewhere nicer?

I doubt you’d get one anyway. They won’t see a baby in your room as overcrowded as the living room counts as a bedroom. If the bedroom is too small the solution would be sleep in the living room. Only when that is also full would they consider adding you to the council waiting list.

@PumpkinP The OP’s username implies she lives in London. Absolutely no way will she get a 2 bed house in London! Replies are based on that housing area, some may have different rules granted but most do not count a baby as a person.

Private rental or stay where you are and save for a house deposit. We moved back in with parents after we finished uni and saved hard for about 3 years, we then got engaged, bought a house and had a baby. I don't understand why you should be housed by the council on them earnings, sorry. Save like the rest of us and buy or rent privately.

No-one will come and see how you live. Or if they do they will look at you like you all have three heads and ask why don't you change bedrooms? What's wrong with someone sleeping in the living room.

Shows how long ago I moved here. It's now over 5 to get a one-bedroom. Pregnancy, not a chance.

HA's here you need to get referred to.

Depending on the age and sex of two children you might get a 2 bed.

OH please I’m in London and my council classes a baby from 6 months of pregnancy! London has different boroughs you know and they all have their own allocations policy.

My London borough, until they are 5 they are considered half a person and nothing for pregnancy because there is no guarantee that the parent won't put the baby up for adoption,

@xLondonLeighx you cannot close a thread.

Well it depends where the op lives in London then.

Every single council has different criteria for joining the housing register. Just look on the council's website.

It's very likely they'd just advise you to rent privately.

OP you need to look at the allocations policy for your area, there is little point asking on here.

In my area you potentially could be housed immediately in a 2 or 3 bed house, so it is hard to say.

Nobody on mumsnet can tell you it's variable across the UK on the amount.of housing stock etc and different areas will have different policies about savings ,earnings etc ,you need to be looking at local housing policies and speak to the council.in your area .

Myself, OH and DD who is 18 months are currently living with his mum, dad, sister and brother in a 3 bed house so majorly overcrowded. We have been on the council list almost 2 years and are still a long way off being offered somewhere. We have been saving in the meantime but live in an expensive area so refuse to rent so are going to keep saving till we have enough. I suggest you apply to the council but be prepared that the chances of being housed any time soon are slim and just keep saving as much as you can you will probably be able to buy before you get a council house.

Fingers crossed for you

*Every single council has different criteria for joining the housing register. Just look on the council's website.

It's very likely they'd just advise you to rent privately.*

Spot on. We don’t know what London borough you’re in so none of us can advise.

It depends where you are.

Those saying "no chance" might live in for example london but where i am in west yorkshire youd probably have a 2 bed in less than a month.

You will regret starting this thread so many SH myths.

It depends entirely on the LA lettings policy (a fair few have a rule not to start a tenancy that will become overcrowded so WOULD give you two beds) only a handful of LA means test so saving wouldn't affect your joining the list.

It's a lottery but safe to say in London you will have a wait of years.