Council housing, council house advice ?

[Depressedgirl]

Hi I was kicked out from my mums 5 months ago and have been staying in temporary accommodation (a hotel) for the past 5 months my relief duty ended (band E) I’m now band D however under the homeless act now but main housing duty so I’m band d but I’m under the homeless act I’ve recently found out I’m 11 weeks pregnant. I don’t have a cooker or anything like that just a fridge and microwave and the hotel I’m staying in has bug infestation obviously the hotel is for temporary accommodation people through council so they are aware and don’t really care I thought I’d move up a band but I haven’t and I thought I’d get a flat by now also haven’t? Or a two bed now I’m aware I’m having a baby. I feel so shit all the time I’m always over twenty on the housing rank one come out today and for the first time I’m 11-20 but I doubt I’ll get it as my housing officer said I will most likely be housed from being nominated a house or flat not through home choice ? She’s also said recently I may be moving to a lodge for pregnant people and families but you can go there if you don’t have Children or you’re not pregnant. I’m just wondering if any one relates or has and can guide me how long it’ll be I am itching to settle down somewhere now I don’t have any family other then my babydad and that’s not going to well atm I feel so depressed just want my own place and have no clue when I will or how much longer it’ll be and band D is so low but I know I’m not 20 weeks or anything so don’t think I’d move up a band until then and even then don’t know advice please anyone:( x

I was in exactly the same place, cockroach infested hotel with 1 day old baby and husband. We were there 4 months and the only reason we got a place is because we moved out of our councils district. If you're coming up 11-20 then you shouldn't be there too much longer. I sympathise because they are horrible soul destroying places. Hope it goes well for you

Babies don't count for room allocation generally until over 1 year and even then only a half person so it is likely you'll still be allocated a one bed flat not a two bed, and you wouldn't be entitled to housing benefit/uc for a two bed.

Hopefully with being pregnant your priority will increase (check the council's allocation scheme) but social housing is in short supply and there will be others on the list who are higher.

@Boomboomboomboom is right about the 1 bed, the only reason I qualified for a 2 bed is because my husband was on there with me. If you get offered a 1 bed take it, they won't look kindly on you refusing housing no matter that they're supposed to allow you 2 refusals

My friend was in the same position as you. It took her until her child was 2.5 years old to be allocated her 2 bed flat with housing association. Up until then she was in a mother and baby unit (one room with shared facilities). Not what you want to hear but that’s how it is around here x

@Devilsmommy oh god bless you! Hope your in a much better place now yeah it’s so horrible I get them everywhere even in my bed it’s so inhumane but better then being on the streets or sleeping in a cold car :( it’s my first time coming up 11-20 hoping I get it but don’t reckon I will as I was told I’m most likely going to be nominated a place instead ugh just don’t know how much longer I can take it I feel so shitty all the time and I’m constantly being sick just feel shattered with it all

No I have HG so it’s impossible for me to work as I spend all day being sick or feeling like I’m dying literally @Junemoon222

@RhiiDando omg that’s terrible bless her hope she’s okay and in a better place now! What council was that? Ugh I just have a feeling I’ll be stuck in a hostel for years already starting to regret bringing my baby into this feels so unfair on her/him

Could you do some temp work / remote working for the time being? Just to get enough for a deposit somewhere?

Is your partner working? Between you could one of you work enough to get a deposit on a 1 bed flat somewhere?

@Boomboomboomboom what actually makes someone higher priority though and hopefully I think it’ll be once I reach 20 weeks maybe I’ll move up a band idk

Unfortunately many of us mums have suffered HG, and we have bills to pay and to keep a roof over our heads. I know it's soul destroying hard but get a hold of your GP and get anti sickness meds. There are many different types for you to try and see if they work.

Could you do this and try and get a job?
Does your baby dad work?

Were you working before you were pregnant? Are you on sick pay?

@Depressedgirl

Why have you started a second post about this?

Baby doesn't count in housing allocation until it's here

@DysonArseWrap im doing it by myself however he has said he will pay whatever needs to be paid as he works but I haven’t told my housing officer that ? Should I tell her he’s willing to pay a deposit ? Will that do something she’s never asked me tbh

I’ve tried two so far and none of them worked nothing except getting a anti sickness injection in my thigh whatever they use in my arm doesn’t work and I was working in a nursery but my manager basically told me to quit as it’s worrying the children seeing me run to the toilet, look crap because I can feel I’m going to be sick and also not being to make it to the bathroom. I don’t know how anyone can work feeling like this I can just about shower and move around this small room I’d never heard of HG before throwing up all day everyday is a big shocker to me right now @BMWM340 and my babydad works is willing to pay for whatever

Your baby daddy presumably has somewhere to live. Why aren't you living with him if you plan to live with him later? There are cases of single pregnant women presenting as homeless only to get a flat and move the father in right away, and then the council has evicted them for falsely presenting as homeless when they had the ability to provide housing themselves and only did it to skip the line.

Can't he pay for you to rent privately then? If you want a cooker and a place of your own to raise his baby, why wait for someone else to provide it?

What is the father of your unborn child doing to help you get accommodation? He should be moving heaven and earth to help you find stable, hygienic accommodation for the baby.

@adventadvent obviously to get advice? Obviously to see if there’s others who have been in my position and can give advice??? Quite evident you would’ve saw someone told me start my own thread? Also yes I’m aware now Thankyou for also telling me

@glassyhag we aren’t together anymore that’s why I call him my babydad and not partner but he’s very supportive as I’m having his first child so he’s willing to help me however he can when bills do come

@pinkdelight unfortunately he doesn’t earn enough just over and sometimes under a grand. And £600 of this goes to his parents for room rent. For him to afford private rent for me would need to be earning a lot more than that. Also I don’t want to rely on him I want to be able to have my own home and be independent and then when he does see and hear from me it’ll be positive not money money money money. I intend on going back to work myself after I give birth if I can sort babysitting

@Hermittrismegistus tbh I don’t really know as we aren’t together but I do think he’s trying as he’s saving for all the things we’ll both need for baby as I don’t have much money to do it myself but I’m obviously still participating

@WhereIsBebèsChambre no was suggested to quit so I did and at a private nursery

In the kindest way, you still have options re your pregnancy. I say this as someone who found themselves unexpectedly pregnant although was able to stay with family. It sounds like a very stressful situation which won't be helping the HG or your overall MH especially if the relationship isn't going well already. Terminating the pregnancy and getting back on your feet might be the best thing for you.

Your employer sounds like they may have acted illegally, surely if pregnancy caused you to be too ill to work then you get a sick note.

Re the HG, have you had an IV to rehydrate you? It makes a huge amount of difference even if only for a short while.

With your nursery experience, you could set up as a childminder when you've had the baby, when you've got your own place, which it sounds like you will do eventually. It sounds dodgy your boss 'making you quit' with HG. It can't have been bad for long if you're only 11 weeks and you'd have been better off having the security of work, but perhaps you can still do childcare if you get the right medication.

I get the sentiment, but it doesn't sound like you're in a position to be proudly independent of the baby daddy when you don't have a job or a home if your own. It's good that you're aspiring to that, but bottom line is you need that rent a LOT more than his parents do, so swallow your pride and make sure he pays for this baby he's made. You've both got to provide for it now.