How hard is it to get council housing?

[IgorThalia]

Looking at getting some council housing. I need some independence from my family, and need a distraction from life at the moment. I've been toying with the idea but lacked the motivation. Currently live with my parents. Left my ex a couple of years ago due to domestic abuse. He lives in a house that we both own. I have about 7k equity in it but he refuses to sell and because I have a restraining order against him, he's impossible to communicate with. His solicitor doesn't respond to my emails re the house. I have a 2 year old who still sleeps in the same room as me. My parents have 2 other spare bedrooms but they're being prepared for lodgers and air bnb so I can't use them for my son. They need this to boost their income and it is why they bought a bigger house. I need a bit of independence and also wouldn't feel comfortable having my 2 year old in the house when parents are doing air bnb. I earn about 24k a year. Have anxiety, OCD and PTSD. That's my background. Am I likely to get any council housing or will I be way down on the list because I'm not homeless?

You could probably apply but you wouldn't be in priority need. If you were accepted in my area you'd be in band D meaning a wait of 10 years average to get housed.

I get £80 a month for my son. I can't claim anything for the £300 rent I pay because I live with my parents so not eligible for UC. I get a bit of help from UC with my childcare costs.

@buttwormhole they cost around £300 a month where I live. A 2 bed privately costs £600 minimum.

Clearly I need to scrap this idea.

If the has been DA in the relationship then legal aid is some thing you can explore. Possibly more fruitful that council housing with equity.

Check what benefits you would be entitled to. You will get 70% of your child care fees paid plus housing benefits. Private letting is really the way to go and I don't think £600 a month is expensive. Start saving to pay legal fees to get your equity back.

From what you have said OP, right now it is a case of you wanting to leave your current location rather than having to, which will also be a consideration.

I was offered temporary accommodation while still having equity in a house I couldn’t live in (also domestic violence, but also my having a disability) and subsequently a council flat. You need to speak to your local housing office. I’d normally recommend going in person, but that’s maybe not currently possible. They also told me they could help deal with the legal issues in some circumstances (presumably because it would cost them less in some situations than housing us). But I live in an area with a reasonable amount of housing stock.
It might be that the way forward is for your parents to formally evict you. Although that wouldn’t solve the issue of the marital home.

Most things to do with the Court can be done without a solicitor. Not easy, of course, but possible. In your position I'd be going hell for leather trying to understand everything I needed to in order to try and appeal to the Court to get either back into your house, or for him to allow you to get off the mortgage. It can be done; it take some work and some thinking.

You should look at the entitledto website. You would probably need to privately rent and apply for UC - you might be entitled to some housing costs or childcare.?

In my area there is no council housing - near london.

Would you be entitled to 30 hours free childcare when your child turns 3?
That would free up some money you could find a private flat to rent.
Are you entitled to claim any child tax credits or UC?

Pretty much impossible. On 24k a year they would expect you to private rent and claim any UC to help. Plus owning a house puts you in the low band.
Me and oh have been trying to get a council house for a while as we’re a split family I’m due in 2 months and neither of us can move the other in or have the baby where we are. We are silver band and still can’t get close

If you could get a private rental then you UC would probably increase to cover part of the rent. Try putting an approximate eent figure into a benefit calculator like 'turn to us', you can run the calculator a few times with different scenarios (eg. Change in rent or change in work hours/ childcare costs if an option) to see if you can get a workable budget.

I agree with @ColdTattyWaitingForSummer get your parents to write to the council formally evicting you.
Do you have anything evidence wise to prove you don't live in the home you own anymore? Any communication with the mortgage company for example? Do you pay your parents by standing order with a reference of 'rent' on the payment? Anything like that will help.

I can say, having just come out of emergency accommodation myself, if you choose this route, in my area (east Anglia) it's about a 4 month wait for a 2 bed property and even with lockdown, councils are allowing moves this time (they weren't in the first).

I don't have to leave, I just find it difficult being in one very small bedroom with my toddler in the same room. My rent is £300, I pay £300 a month in loan repayments, I pay a quarter of all bills, £950 on nursery, Overdraft repayments, then the rest. I know people live on less but I really don't have much left at the end of the month. How I would save for a deposit I don't know.

Apply! Do all the forms - most are online now. Then your local authority will be able to tell if you can go on the list or not! Simple! You might have a long wait - it varies wildly in each local authority.

How much help from the government do you get for the childcare? As a lone parent that can be up to 70% of the childcare bill.

Are you also getting the tax free element of the childcare via your employer?

I doubt you'd even be considered for council housing here.

Like others have said you need to look into getting that equity from your house, and also see what you would be entitled to if you moved out and privately rented. Although owning a house may also affect your entitlement to the housing element of UC.

It's not impossible. I was in a similar situation, ExH was living in our jointly owned home (although to be fair it was up for sale). I got a housing authority flat in a very good area within a month of applying, even though I owned a home and was renting privately (so absolutely not homeless). This was about 4 years ago (I ended up living there for 2 years). This was in the north of England.

I don't get anywhere near 70%. Its my own stupid fault for being in this position and allowing my ex to take over my accounts.

We are in the process of being evicted by our landlord. There are no private houses up for rent at all so we have asked the council for help. They won't even class us as a priority until the section 21 has ended and even then we still will be waiting 3 months minimum. Obviously it depends on area, but here it is next to impossible.

You can get 140 per week as a homeowner on top of Child Benefit via Universal Credit (just put the details you gave us into Entitled to)

@IgorThalia

I have 0 salary to save. I think I'm left with about 28 at the end of every month. That's with extremely tight budgeting.

Are you claiming everything you are entitled to OP? Are you on UC?

@IgorThalia it’s not your fault, but it IS entirely on you to pursue what is rightfully yours.

@blossomhill4 I am claiming UC. It's my loans and my Overdraft that are killing me, and credit card, but I needed a barrister as otherwise I faced cross examination on my own by my ex. Didn't know what else to do other than to take out loans.