I don't have anyone to talk this through with, hoping you wise vipers can help me think it through. 
I will have at least 300k for a deposit possibly a little more if stbxh decides to deviate from 50/50. It's not enough to house me and my two little ones, we live in the south east. Having spent 6 month job hunting with not a lot of luck, I set myself up as self employed, virtual assistant which will bring in around 9k pa. I can't use this income for a mortgage for at least 11 months, but in the interim i will need somewhere to live. And with that much cash, I wouldn't be eligible for the benefits I currently receive anyway.
What would you do? Buy two BTL's and continue to rent until my earnings are higher. Or write off thousands in rent plus any tax credits then buy In 12 months?