Are Council housing or HA still possible in central London?

[heavenon]

So my earnings have been affected due to Coronavirus and I now depend on benefits which are not even enough to cover my rent only covering 80% of it without bills and food! Im in central London in one of the most popular boroughs and Im scared I will be evicted very soon and be homeless. How big are my chances of getting a council flat or HA in todays climate? How to get the highest priority?

I also know that council flats can be bought when one has lived there for a few years I believe is this the same with Housing Association? Im just thinking for the future here just in case... thanks to all in advance. Getting on the coincil flat you need t contact the council but who would I need to contact for HA flats? I would like to apply for both just to increase my changes.

your chances are next to zero in London, at least not for a very long time... what is your situation? kids, partner etc?

Be prepared to be moved to another council area. There is not enough supply for the high level of demand.

Last I heard there was a 12 year wait in central London.

This is so crap. I lived in central London, borough of kensington and chelsea. Lots of social housing, a great mix of people, rent controlled leaseholds, peabody flats, housing associations, vicar on his bike. Multi generational and multi cultural. I really go grieve for the fabulous london of the 1970s and 80s.

Ordinary people have been pushed out, and it's a crying shame.

You'll have to move

Yeah, it’s not going to happen. Social housing is like hens teeth now in much of London. I spent some time on the housing list eight years ago (not with expectation of being housed, but as a necessary prerequisite to a different route) - as an officially homeless single parent with a baby. I was looking at a 20-year wait - really I think the ‘waiting time’ becomes a bit of a concept rather than an actual indication at those sorts of numbers. People who aren’t directly exposed to the reality often don’t have a clue.

I’m so sorry you’re in this situation and I hope something works itself out for you.

I think it’s a single route of application to both council and HA now btw. Double check that in case it’s not the same for all local authorities, but it definitely is in my (outer London) borough.

Not a snowballs chance im afraid. Even with kids they will pop you in a B&B for five years before housing you out of borough. You would need to be priority need as a single person who is homeless and for that you would need very significant physical or mental health problems and a lawyer to prove them. Its completely awful !

Yes there is social housing in central London but it is scarce. I'd suggest calling the Shelter advice line to understand your options.

Do you have children or a significant disability? Without those your priority will be so low that you have zero chance of getting social housing in central London. You’ll get a place in a B and B (shared kitchens and bathrooms). Maybe after ten years you’ll be offered a one bed flat in a different borough further out.

Do you have links to any other part of the country? Some areas have much better social housing availability. If you could move in with family for a while and then they say you can no longer stay with them you may count as homeless and eligible for housing somewhere else.

@DeeplyMovingExperience

This is so crap. I lived in central London, borough of kensington and chelsea. Lots of social housing, a great mix of people, rent controlled leaseholds, peabody flats, housing associations, vicar on his bike. Multi generational and multi cultural. I really go grieve for the fabulous london of the 1970s and 80s.

Ordinary people have been pushed out, and it's a crying shame.

I don't remember anything like this - certainly not in boroughs like K & C

No chance. If you've got no dependents then at least you have the luxury of moving wherever you like. Abroad even.

@lockdownbreakdown I’m a single person with a blood disorder disease which physically affects me sometimes and I’m entitled to apply for PIP. The issue is that it’s being very difficult to get it as I have heard from others in the same condition because my type of “disability” is not visible since it’s blood related and not a physical one but does affect me physically. So I never bothered applying for PIP cause I didn’t really need it but now with my financial situation I do need every penny I can get.. and the whole housing situation and possibility of homelessness has also been affecting me mentally and causing me anxieties...
Even if I get a lawyer what are my chances like? My goal is not to be put in a BnB for years and years without actually being housed that would terrify me even more especially now there’s an infection virus going on where I really would not appreciate sharing an accommodation with other people and getting exposed to a deadly virus when I already have underlying health issues and have been shielding for months!

I have also been affected by a benefit cap which has reduced my allowance even more and that is causing me more anxiety and stressing me out...

@KingofDinobots I have no links at all that’s another issue. Single no kids and no family links in the UK unfortunately...

Sorry to say but zero and (sorry to say) rightly so. It’s far easier to house a single person than it is a family of four or 5.

They won’t just give you a flat or similar because you’re homeless and the B&B option would probably be the best you could hope for.

I’m not sure why you think a lawyer could help get you up the list - if they could then every man and their dog would instruct one.

It’s shit OP but better to be realistic and get your ducks in order. The situation isn’t likely to be better outside of London either - I think the HA situation around here is about a 5/6 year wait. It was when I was a SP with a newborn and on the list...

Even with a disability unless it significantly impacts your ability to find housing or limits the type of housing you can live in significantly you wouldn’t be a priority need.

I say this as a single person who was refused help despite being a victim of sexual assault by a flatmate and having suffered a documented history of domestic violence and rape. They weren’t interested. I was working so not their problem.

If you are under 35 you would only be entitled to a room/shared accommodation.

Depending on where you work you MIGHT be able to apply to some housing associations if you are considered a key worker which is how I got my own studio apartment.

I will say this though- you will not get housed without going via the temporary accommodation route- potentially a hostel and it will take a period of years. Even with homeless priority in London.

@heavenon I did work helping people get housing in London and its incredibly difficult. I worked with two vulnerable, seriously mentally ill clients who were fleeing DV. It took at least a year of legal fighting to get both agreed as priority need and they were manifestly seriously unwell. They both spend over 18 months in homeless hostels before being placed in private rented. One of them got a council flat after 3 years. It will be one hell of a struggle and you would only get a B&B if you were lucky enough to be accepted as homeless and priority need. It would be shared and there would be no way to avoid this. If you have any other options please take them now!

Could you look for employment someone with a lower cost of living or even just on benefits, move someplace where you might get a job some day where a private rental is feasible.

You need to be realistic here.

You are not going to get social housing.

Your benefits do not cover the cost of your current flat.

In your shoes I would move to a house share or cheaper flat, outside London where living costs will be lower and your benefits will go further.

Then as and when your health permits, get another job.

What do you do? Maybe mumsnet can help you work out where you could move to.

So sorry to hear your predicament OP. Despite the poor forecast, I recommend that you sign up for all. It might be on form for all now. If not, some of the housing associations are Peabody, Metropolitan, Guinness Partnership.
If you aren't tied to a job here, maybe other MNers could recommend areas where this isn't a long waiting list.

@OurChristmasMiracleate I’m really sorry to hear about your experience and sexual assault it must have been such a horrible experience for you having to live with such a horrible human being. I’m glad you we’re able to get a housing. Are you based in London aswell?

I don’t mind staying in a temporary accommodation but they’re meant to be for TEMPORARY stay only and my biggest fear is I might end up spend years there which doesn’t make it a temporary but a long term stay. There are stories about People spending 5 years in a “Temporary” accommodation and that is insane!

I personally know of key workers who make enough money to be able to afford a private rental yet they get offered council flats easily while there are homeless and unemployed people struggling the system doesn’t make much sense

What about affordable housing? What are the requirements and waiting time like?

@KingofDinobots moving to a cheaper place is going to reduce my benefits allowance I don’t actually know anyone that lives on benefits and gets their life expenses fully covered I never had to depend on benefits ever on my life and it’s not something that I’m looking to be depending on on a long term basis... I’m not sure how people actually live on benefits for years and years when expenses don’t get fully covered ?

@DianaT1969 thanks for recommending. I’ll definitely look into it