First stop : ask for an appointment with a Lone Parent Advisor by phoning your local jobcentre. They can tell you what you need to claim for and what you might be eligible for.
Bear in mind they're selling a 'service' so like all business they want to keep costs down, they'll thus insist you'll be better off working and even offer to do calculations for you to prove this, but they will neglect to mention how the swings and roundabouts of all that you could earn weighed against different tax credits you won't earn actually leave you slightly worse off.
There's two of you, so you can apply for a 2-bed house rather than a flat if preferred and Housing Benefit will pay all of your rent (you will have a shortfall of about £20£50 each month which you will need to pay from your Income Support). They calculate annually but pay 4-weekly, so in fact you do receive the full Rent, but because it's paid over the whole year, you have amonthly shortfall. Don't even think about it, it's so complicated! But summarily, you WILL have enough to cover the rent each month, even if you have to top it up yourself out of your Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance!
I'm newly single with two children under 3 and rent a £560 2-bed house in a village.
Don't think because you are on benefits you have to go for cruddy flats in the worst areas just because they're the only ones that accept DSS tenants, letting agents will accept you with a guarantor, sometimes good to go in person and have private appointment so they can see you don't fit the stereotype; I have actually sat in one letting agency whilst the agent complained about "stinking Polish immigrants on benefits we just shove them in the council flats they're so grateful" berore I explained my well-dressed, clean and articulate toddler in the local Private Prep School uniform (bursary scholarship entry, no fees) has a stinking Polish immigrant grandfather..
You will need to find around £500 (or whatever the rent is) for the first month's rent though, DSS will not pay that plus your moving costs, so have a contingency fund of at least £1000. You might have to get a loan for that or if you can't get credit ask family or friends or as a last resort negotiate with the landlord/letting agent.
You will receive Income Support, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Council Tax Benefit too if you're eligible.
You can apply for the money for a Deposit with a Social Fund or Budgeting Loan from the DSS.
Letting Agents will accept Housing Benefit if you can provide a Guarantor.
'No Pets' generally means no yapping dogs or smelly reptiles! Cats will not usually cause damage to property or nuisance to neighbours, which landlords don't like, unless they're right old fleabags and are not housetrained !
I can't stress highly enough, take your own entry and exit photographs of wherever you rent as an Inventory.
Just go into your local DSS office (find it online)and ask for all the forms you need, or ring these numbers for all the forms you need. Callcentres, be prepared for long holds!
Your local Council Offices will have Housing Benefit and Council Tax Forms, you can't have these posted to you or ring up for them.
CHILD TAX CREDIT 0845 300 3900
CSA 08457 133 133
HEALTHY START 08701 555 455
JOBCENTRE PLUS(FOR BUDGETING LOAN and INCOME SUPPORT FORMS) 0800 055 6688
Claiming benefits for the first time and moving into rented accommodation on Housing Benefit is too complicated to think about, just fill out the forms, send them off FULLY FILLED IN to prevent delays,then let it all wash over your head and just tread water for several weeks whilst it all processes.
Once the benefits are all in place, everything's paid direct into your bank account regularly and everything becomes financially cosy.
That is, until you realise with an 8 year old child, you'll still have to physically go and sign on in the jobcentre each fortnight and attend regular "Why havent you got a job yet?" appointments. Government is cracking down on single mums out of work.
Following link calculates what benefits you could get.
www.entitledto.co.uk/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Mind you, advise getting a full time job that pays well rather than benefits, it's a system that's very easy to stay addicted to/trapped once you're in it.
Lastly, can you not stay with family or friends so you can save up, before you look for a more permanent home for you both?
best of luck.