to want to give up my job so I can afford decent housing

[msdisillusioned]

Am currently living with a relative after the breakdown of my marriage. I have made an application to the homeless team who are trying to talk me into privately renting.

But having done the figures for rent/council tax/electricity/petrol/car costs/housekeeping it all comes to more than I bring in.

Recently a friend with 2 DC told me that she was moving into a bigger place (privately renting). She is also a lone parent so does not work. The housing benefit people have informed her that she can look at properties up to £750 a month as her Housing Allowance/Benefit will cover that.

Forgive me a little green eyed envy here as I just could not even begin to afford that much in rent a month.

It's all got me thinking that maybe I do myself no favours in working all the hours I do. I am a community nurse so on what is termed a good salary. However, not so good that I can afford the type of place my friend is looking at.

I know my DF has to find a landlord which will accept Housing Benefit and I also know that is not always easy. However, am seriously thinking about drastically reducing my hours and salary as I might then get more help towards finding a home for me and DS.

Please forgive the green eyed envy stuff and I know the grass is NOT greener but at least I'd have a roof over my head.

i've known some people who have done this successfully.

they simply reported their new details to the council and had their HB adjusted.

your council's housing section on their website should tell you how HB is paid to private tenants.

most pay it directly to the tenant.

that way, too, you don't have the hassle of the 'NO DSS' because many councils also allow you for forgo telling the landlord that you get it, particularly after the fact (i.e., tenancy agreement in place and you already in the home).

I've read the whole thread and sympathise with your situation, but just had to say in response to the title about giving up your job in order to get the financial help your friend gets, that you would NOT be able to afford the £800 per month of 'essential' outgoings you have if you did that! my jaw dropped slightly when you said 'Even taking the food bill down to £300 a month'... for you and 1 little one. Income support is about £60pw, I expect your friend struggles more than you think.

now that's off my chest.. ahem.. I agree that you would probably be better off working part time, as a single parent. and you can get your hb paid directly to yourself so once you are in somewhere your landlord doesnt need to know you are receiving any.

Okay mrsmontano - what should the food bill be? Am very open to suggestions here. Am including general housekeeping stuff in this figure.

FWIW I have never been a single parent before and in all honesty am not sure what the food and housekeeping bill will be. Am just guessing at around £300 - £400 - but - yes I agree that it seems alot for me and DS alone - I have included school dinner costs in that too though. DS may have to go back to packed lunches.

If I can do all the food/housekeeping stuff on less then all the better as it makes private renting more affordable.

..... and if I take the food/housekeeping bill down to £200 my budget balances (Hurrah) and I have £30 a month to spare. .
Thank you mrsmontano - you made me think a bit more closely.
However, it will still be very, very tight.

Our food budget for 4 is £250 a month which is fine, we don't struggle to do it. I think £200 for two is very realistic.

I think you should cut your hours.

It means

1. You can get somewhere for your family to live.
2. You will be able to survive financiailly.
3. You will have more time with your family, which is worth more.
4. The amount of actual tax you will pay will reduce also, so you will probably be able to reduce more hours than you thought to take you to the amount you need to be entitled to additional support.
5. You will still be working, will still be providing for your family, and being able to do it better (less stress about money, more time with family, less time spent in childcare, a house).

Talk to benefits people again. Like all organisations they are just people, and some are more helpful than others in the advice they give.

And do it. And don't give a toss about what other people might think.

and to add though, our food bill is about £400 for 3, and we are a bit too extravagent. We could probably reduce to about £250-300, and if just me and DD, £200 would be manageable, but very very tight.

BUT, I don't really think your food bill is the issue here, you are not talking about stopping work are you? You are talking about gettting yourself into a position to be able to get somewhere to live AND perhaps spend more time as a mother? Right?

Absolutely Pavlov - that's really my priority here. I spend so much time at work that I miss all the sports days etc. My hours are quite good 9.30am-4.00pm over 5 days and only Monday to Friday. But of course that's when all the school things happen.

Will talk to the benefits people again.

Nothing to do with money makes sense anymore almost everyone would be better off not working. BUT I have to add invade no one else has that you can get housing benefit even if you are working as a top up and you don't have to tell your landlord. Hb do have to see a tenancy agreement and you can get your landlord to sign the form but you don't have to and hb won't contact your landlord if you tell them this.

msdisillusioned, the best thing to do would be to go to your nearest jobcentre and make an appointment with a Lone Parent advisor.
They can do the calculations for you and tell you exactly how much working tax c,child tax credit, housing ben, council tax ben, childcare costs you would recieve working different hours and earning different amounts. And keep re-calculating and re-calculating untill you find the exact combination of hours and benefits that would suit you best. And print it all for you to take away and think about.
Lone parent advisors are the ones to see because they do this all day every day, rather than the people who deal more with job seekers, who are just happy you're in employment regardless of your own circumstances! good luck

Ah brilliant mrsmontano - didn't realise these people were out there. Such a minefield isn't it?

Aimsmum - "Also a lot of landlords who rent privately to people on HB do short term lets, so you could find yourself moving every 6-12 months."

I found this was the case privately renting on my own earnings for years before having to claim benefits. It's very rare for landlords to offer anything other than a 6 month minimum assured shorthold tenancy regardless of the source of income and has been for years, often due to landlords renting while selling, so she won't be put at any disadvantage in that sense.

OP, of course the council are trying to talk you into privately renting as it gets you off their lists. If living with your relative cannot be long term, show the council a letter from him/her asking you to leave and you'll be classed as a priority, which you won't be if you make your own arrangements. If you also cannot afford what your friend is paying per month in rent then you should tell them you won't be able to afford a private rental deposit anyway.

The thing is about social housing is that not only have you got a better chance of settling for longer, but I seem to remember that by law, they must allocate you somewhere which you can reasonably afford.

As a community nurse though, would you not be eligible for a key worker housing scheme? No point being envious if you're just not looking into what you may be eligible for... good luck

Yes - am classed as a key worker but no key worker properties available at present it seems. Only 50/50 shared ownership and as my DH has left me with a lot of debt I am not eligible for a mortgage of any kind in the current climate.

most landlords only do short assured tenancies of 6-12 months regardless of whether you are on HB or not.

we've been privately renting for years and that's always the case.

go umemployed till you get some help and then start work part time,20 hours or less, which is tax free, you will still be entitled to benefit for help with your rent, and council tax and you will still have your child benefit.

are there any key worker houses in your area?

they offer cheaper rented houses to nurses etc

best of luck

are there any key worker houses in your area

they offer cheaper renting for nurses

Have a look at the homebuy website.
They do cheap rental/buy schemes for keyworkers.