What happens when you go to the housing?

[ripeavocado]

Politely asking for kindness and non-judgement regarding my situation.

Wondering what happens when you go to the housing with your baby to declare that you're being made homeless and are looking for a place to live?

I'm a single mum and receiving Universal Credit. Had been staying with family but have now been asked to leave. Living in London.

Not going to go into depth about my situation, but politely asking for your non-judgement.

Had a really difficult pregnancy and postpartum period, physically, emotionally, circumstantially and financially. I've done my absolute best, despite my housing situation (through little fault of my own).

Quite anxious about going to the housing because I've heard that it and be all all day thing. My baby is breastfed and doesn't feed as well when in unfamiliar environments with lots of people acting as distractions. He's also become accustomed to feeding when laying down in bed, in a side-lying position. Baby won't take a bottle.

Just generally quite worried about the whole process.

Thank you.

that it can be an all day thing*

Hi OP, I would suggest looking on your councils website for instructions on how to make a homelessness application. There may be certain forms or a particular office that you need to attend, to begin the application process.

If it's anything like when I was homeless, not a lot. I was homeless after my marriage ended, presented at the housing office with a letter from my parents saying that they didn't want me & my son living there permanently. It took 8 weeks to get homeless priority & 5 months in total to get somewhere to live. They didn't even offer us a hostel, which I would have taken because I didn't want to stay at my parents.

I can only talk about what happened to me, but we were being evicted as Landlady wanted to sell up. Took in our notice, one meeting less than an hour long, on the day we were due to leave, we already had temp accomadation set up with the council, within five weeks we got our flat.

But our circumstances were a little unusual, we had SS involved along with a lot of mental health people and we were not fussed what we got as long as it was 2 beds, all in all our meetings were about an hour each time we had to meet, I am in the south east, so the London experience could be very very difference. If you can say roughly what part of London you are in, you might be able to get responses that are better

You'll be I shitty temp hostel/b&B for years

Any chance you'd move out of London? Sounds like a fresh start could be a good thing

Probs hostel or B + B for the foreseeable I’m afraid, as you’re in London.

Don't move out and approach the council. They will not help you due to no local connection.

Approach your council and yes it will be hostel or b and b but lots of London councils are moving people out to flats and houses in other areas.

My DIL sat in the council with an eviction letter the whole day .. literally she was evicted at 8am, was at the council offices at 8.30am and they tried to turf her out of the council office at closing time ..she was there the whole day in the same spot alllll day ...they managed to get her into a hostel literally last minute after she told them she literally had nowhere to go apart from a park bench with her children ...unfortunately I think this was a common tactic to see if she DID have somewhere else to go and was trying it on..some say this then when forced to leave at closing they magically can stay " at a friend's "
It would literally would have been a park bench for her and the children ..they ignored her all day and barely made eye contact ..she had a 15 month old with her at the offices and the other children were at school....a manager stepped in last minute...
This was last July and she's still in the hostel waiting to be housed , but , she has a roof over her head

There was a documentary on recently about this in the London area it might be worth watching so you are prepared for the process it will be difficult but stay strong im sorry I can offer any other advice

It can’t take all day, mainly due to so many people arriving in the same position. Check the website first as sometimes there is an online system.

You'll be asked to prove how long you've lived in the borough, 5 years is the standard minimum requirement for even a hostel/B&B. Depending on the area and waiting lists you'll likely be in temporary accommodation from months to years, or they'll possibly offer a move north with a small financial incentive. Some London boroughs are moving people to Birmingham as it's only an hour on the train to London but much much cheaper housing.