What am I meant to do? Where am I meant to live?

[Phubs]

I left my partner and had to move out of his house. We have kids who we will share custody of.

I'm trying to rent, but I just fall at the landlord decision because single mother, who needs income support and a guarantor isn't going to get picked over a working couple.

What do I actually do? Social housing is years, renting is impossible, I can't afford to buy. Wtf are people meant to do?

I do work but my salary isn't enough to not have a guarantor, I do have a really good guarantor but I still won't get chosen over a working couple.

I don't know. Its horrible isn't it. Women usually give up or reduce their hours for childcare, miss out on their pension years. Whilst the husband is building his career and pension. You split and he has a nice deposit and can raise a mortgage, whereas the woman is stuck with a bit of money, too much for any state help and not enough to buy. Quite often left with dogs & cats too, which landlords don't like. Then we get accused of bleeding them dry for maintenance, when really it's to try to keep the lights on and food in the fridge.
I'm sorry you're in this situation, I hope you find somewhere to be happy in.
Maybe we should start kibbutz/communes for women with children post breakdown of the family home? Lots of kids in a big garden with veg and space, sounds quite appealing. But no men.

@bluedomino I've always wanted to live like that!

OP I e been through the same it was utter hell. When I became a landlord I would happily have taken a single working mum so there are landlords out there with some compassion. On my local FB page I occasionally see people asking for rentals with similar circumstances. I think you get more dodgy housing but it's somewhere to live at least

There are landlords out there that will rent to you. You have to keep trying. Some landlords would rather have tenants that are likely to stay for a long time rather than a young couple that might only be there a year. Sometimes the council will help you find private accommodation even when they can’t offer you social housing.