Page 14 | How long are council housing waits for growing families?

99Samblaze · 2026-04-30T17:13:00+00:00

Hi We moved to a one bedroom flat in Stockport a year ago. I had my son and now expecting again near Christmas. How long did people wait to get a council house of flat. We can’t afford a two bedroom flat on the private market so having council house would help a lot. Thank you

lazymum99 · Yesterday 12:08

YouHaveAnArse · Yesterday 11:58

"Yes I was responsible for the finance but when he came here but once the person is in UK either they or myself would have to meet the income threshold. He also passed his driving a year ago. He was looking whole year for job didn’t get any so he just accepted this one. "

That's not how visa sponsorship works, though - it's based on the income of the sponsor unless the immigrant has a job that sponsors them (which doesn't seem the case from what you said - sponsored jobs are also relatively rare). At present that would require you to have a salary of around £36k, if I have my info correct. This is something you really need to check and be sure about before putting a fair sum of money into visa renewal as if your circumstances have changed since it could affect his right to remain in the country.

I do know of someone with ILR who is entitled to a council flat and PiP after becoming ill; what sort of visa is your husband on?

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is as good as British regarding benefits. Spouse visa completely different

YouHaveAnArse · Yesterday 12:18

Fair point. But I do wonder whether applying for a dependent visa (if that's what OP has) and now not earning up to the threshold could be a massive headache when it comes to renewals.

loislovesstewie · Yesterday 12:19

YouHaveAnArse · Yesterday 11:58

"Yes I was responsible for the finance but when he came here but once the person is in UK either they or myself would have to meet the income threshold. He also passed his driving a year ago. He was looking whole year for job didn’t get any so he just accepted this one. "

That's not how visa sponsorship works, though - it's based on the income of the sponsor unless the immigrant has a job that sponsors them (which doesn't seem the case from what you said - sponsored jobs are also relatively rare). At present that would require you to have a salary of around £36k, if I have my info correct. This is something you really need to check and be sure about before putting a fair sum of money into visa renewal as if your circumstances have changed since it could affect his right to remain in the country.

I do know of someone with ILR who is entitled to a council flat and PiP after becoming ill; what sort of visa is your husband on?

A person with indefinite leave to remain is treated exactly the same as a person born here, a British citizen. The problem is if a person still has no recourse to public funds, they can't join the housing register, because social housing is publicly funded. Until they get ILR that's the situation.

RedTagAlan · Yesterday 12:20

lazymum99 · Yesterday 12:08

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is as good as British regarding benefits. Spouse visa completely different

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That's thing about Visas and immigration really, is that citizens of the country tend not to know about the rules. It's the foreign national and their partner who do.

I live abroad with my DP, and we know the rules. But our neighbour's don't. They don't need to.

Original poster

99Samblaze · Yesterday 12:24

nOlives · Yesterday 11:46

It is not just your use of language that is confusing. Your timeline is too.
We moved to a one bedroom flat in Stockport a year ago.
but also
I only accepted this flat 1.5 years ago

Yes I was responsible for the finance but when he came here but once the person is in UK either they or myself would have to meet the income threshold. He also passed his driving a year ago. He was looking whole year for job didn’t get any so he just accepted this one. We have cut down drastically because we also need to save for his visa application which costs roughly 5-6k and have to do the same in 2.5 years.
So am I reading this right? You sponsored your parner to come to the UK either 1 year or 1.5 years ago and immediately became pregnant while he immediately passed his driving test and failed to get a job for the whole year during which you were pregnant and had a baby, and you have become pregnant again within a few months of giving birth. You need to save for his visa and will have to do the same in 2.5 years.
So how did you manage for the year when he had no job and you were on a TA wage for only part of it?
Surely you had to pay for his visa at least 1 to 1.5 years ago and will therefore need to pay for the extension 2.5 years after that, i.e. in 1 to 1.5 years time.
Your timeline is confused both by conflicting numbers (1 vs 1.5) and confusion between tenses, especially present and future, and also conditional. Wasn't this a problem for your teacher training? What subject would you teach? Please tell me it is maths or science, not primary age who would be learning English from you.

We lived in a studio flat before this current flat. He came in 2024. I don’t need to have perfect grammar as it is only a quick post not a child’s report.

OP posts:

Original poster

99Samblaze · Yesterday 12:26

Avie29 · Yesterday 10:22

OP you will be waiting YEARS, so i would suggest putting some things into place yourself, can you partition one of the rooms? (living room or bedroom) so you have an “extra room” i am Band B (southwest) lacking 2 bedrooms for my disabled children and have been bidding weekly for 2 years and not even come close, i know its frustrating but you are coming across as a little entitled in your posts and i think that is what is frustrating other PPs you seem to expect to be moved quickly but unfortunately your situation is one in thousands across the country you will simply have to wait and be patient, apply to your council to be put in the system and just keep bidding, only thing you can do.

I am getting a lot of hate when I have simply asked people on social housing how long they took to get their social housing. I have no idea why other people are commenting and bullying me.

OP posts:

Rachelshair · Yesterday 12:37

Is your husband claiming his work vehicle expenses/ mileage back? He is paying out a lot for his insurance and petrol costs.

YouHaveAnArse · Yesterday 12:41

OP, could your husband not stay home with the children whilst you go back to training? Or at least reduce his hours to give you time to do so? Having two parents who can work more or less full-time once both children are at school will help your situation a lot and might give you a foundation to save for your own place.

Threesloths · Yesterday 12:45

Foundress · Yesterday 11:53

@nOlives I should imagine OP will be teaching creative writing.

Because you’re a professor at Oxford, no doubt.

Tedsnan1 · Yesterday 12:46

CaptainMyCaptain · Yesterday 12:00

You have no right to suggest it to another woman. It is a personal choice.

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I didn't suggest it, I wouldn't, that was another poster. I responded to the question ' Are you saying terminations are horrible'.
It is completely a personal choice.

Threesloths · Yesterday 12:48

The bullies are living in cloud cuckoo land. Where we live in London you’d need around £100k deposit to buy a house. The housing ladder is slipping out of reach of even well paid workers.

nOlives · Yesterday 12:51

99Samblaze · Yesterday 12:24

We lived in a studio flat before this current flat. He came in 2024. I don’t need to have perfect grammar as it is only a quick post not a child’s report.

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Whilst perfect grammar would be perfect, being understood is necessary. For teaching a subject, understanding that subject to at least the level being taught is essential.
Whilst this may be just a quick post, the issues are not typos or a bit of spelling confusion. You are talking about things that have happened, that will happen or might happen, that would have happened and that are happening now, leaving the reader to guess which is meant. You either don't know how to say these things or you don't realise that they are important for meaning. These are exactly the sorts of things primary school teachers need to teach and model on a daily basis.

MissyMooPoo2 · Yesterday 12:56

Threesloths · Yesterday 12:45

Because you’re a professor at Oxford, no doubt.

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Interesting that you come out with comments like that, while calling others 'bullies'.

Threesloths · Yesterday 12:57

MissyMooPoo2 · Yesterday 12:56

Interesting that you come out with comments like that, while calling others 'bullies'.

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That poster is being unnecessarily unkind. I on the other hand was being ironic

YouHaveAnArse · Yesterday 13:00

That's not irony, that's "I know you are but what am I"

MissyMooPoo2 · Yesterday 13:03

Threesloths · Yesterday 12:57

That poster is being unnecessarily unkind. I on the other hand was being ironic

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You were being mocking, insincere and sarcastic - characteristic of bullying. You were not being ironic.

WallaceinAnderland · Yesterday 13:10

I think it's clear that this thread has been a wake up call for OP.

She clearly thought that anyone who needs a bigger house can get a council house. She wasn't aware that she might not actually be eligible at all, she just wanted to know how long it would be before she got her big house with a garden.

Threesloths · Yesterday 13:19

MissyMooPoo2 · Yesterday 13:03

You were being mocking, insincere and sarcastic - characteristic of bullying. You were not being ironic.

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Not true but you misinterpret what I said as you see fit.

GimmieABreakOr3 · Yesterday 13:26

99Samblaze · Yesterday 08:33

Thank you.
I am being heavily criticised but they seem to be ok with millionaires and billionaires dodging tax all the time and investors buying up all the properties in Britain as well as foreign investors who has never set foot in UK.

Your grammar needs improving if you are planning to be a TA or teacher.

Avie29 · Yesterday 13:42

99Samblaze · Yesterday 12:26

I am getting a lot of hate when I have simply asked people on social housing how long they took to get their social housing. I have no idea why other people are commenting and bullying me.

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Because people have already said several times it can take years and you are moaning how unfair that is- it comes across as entitled/spoilt, there are people living in much worse circumstances than you and are on the waiting lists, you just have to be patient.

GimmieABreakOr3 · Yesterday 13:43

WallaceinAnderland · Yesterday 13:10

I think it's clear that this thread has been a wake up call for OP.

She clearly thought that anyone who needs a bigger house can get a council house. She wasn't aware that she might not actually be eligible at all, she just wanted to know how long it would be before she got her big house with a garden.

You have to work hard and sacrifice things for this. It shouldn’t just be given out for free…

Original poster

99Samblaze · Yesterday 13:47

lazymum99 · Yesterday 12:08

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is as good as British regarding benefits. Spouse visa completely different

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We will apply for his IRL in 2.5 years. Currently we are working towards applying for his extended visa. He has only been in UK for two years. I guess we could wait to apply for council house when he gets IRL but that is a long time and who knows rules might change then.

OP posts:

CaptainMyCaptain · Yesterday 13:55

nOlives · Yesterday 12:51

Whilst perfect grammar would be perfect, being understood is necessary. For teaching a subject, understanding that subject to at least the level being taught is essential.
Whilst this may be just a quick post, the issues are not typos or a bit of spelling confusion. You are talking about things that have happened, that will happen or might happen, that would have happened and that are happening now, leaving the reader to guess which is meant. You either don't know how to say these things or you don't realise that they are important for meaning. These are exactly the sorts of things primary school teachers need to teach and model on a daily basis.

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Also not confusing your and you're and a few other errors I have noticed. As a teacher you need correct spelling and grammar even in the shortest correspondence and also you need not to take offence so easily as you will be dealing with young people and or parents and Senior Management who will have no inhibitions about telling you what they think. (Retired teacher here)

Apart from that I am sympathetic to your situation. Nobody can answer your original question though.

CaptainMyCaptain · Yesterday 13:56

GimmieABreakOr3 · Yesterday 13:43

You have to work hard and sacrifice things for this. It shouldn’t just be given out for free…

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Council housing isn't free.

x2boys · Yesterday 14:11

GimmieABreakOr3 · Yesterday 13:43

You have to work hard and sacrifice things for this. It shouldn’t just be given out for free…

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Council houses are not given out for free HTH.