Soon to be homeless mummy :( please help!

[Katieeeee]

What advice can you offer to a 22 year old woman who is 13 weeks and 1 day pregnant and will eventually be homeless unless she can get somewhere to live pretty damn soon?

I don't have any family, I live with a friend and his parents. They want me to find somewhere to live asap. I have no savings, no job because my midwife told me to STOP working and just get all the benefits I'm entitled to... (I do not agree with this and don't feel happy doing it) so I can't get the money together to put a deposit on a flat. It's basically me and baby against the world.

I got pregnant despite being on the pill. I was with the guy for only one month. We're not together now and there's nothing he can do to help me. I'm having this baby because I don't believe in abortion and I could never kill my own baby. I'm absolutely overjoyed though, I've never been so happy and overjoyed in my life.

What are people supposed to do in my situation? Can anyone help?

 

[caz81]

maybe if you go to the citizens advice they might be able to help, in the mean time lots of xx

 

[MaryJ]

Sorry hon. That's pretty crappy. I know there's a uk version of our DHS but I don't remember what it's called. Other girls on here should be able to tell you though.

 

[Kirstin]

Go to a housing association and they can give you emergency accommodation xx

 

[~KACI~]

Hey hunni, you need to get yourself down to the council office and fill out a application form, you need to explain that your being made homeless.

You may get put into a hostel or a mother and baby unit for a while and hopefully they should help you find accomadation x

 

[aimee-lou]

I agree with Caz81 - get yourself to the citizens advice. The local council should be able to help you too, especially if out of work.

 

[Twiglet]

If you go to your local council and declare yourself homeless they house you that day (in temporary accomadation) you then get fast tracked for a flat. Go to the CAB who will also be able to give you advice

 

[Katieeeee]

Thankyou everyone, you've helped me out loads and made me feel so much better xx

 

[moomin_troll]

if u go to the council they might help but they didnt help me wen i was being made homless with me 3 month old son.

is there a reason ur mw told u not to work? maybe if u try and rent a room from a private landlord they do ask for a down payment but u might be able to get a crisis loan from the job centre and u pay it back using ur benifits

 

[ahava]

YOU Need to go to the housing benefit office, FIll out a crisis loan form yu can get up to £500 , and go find yourself a room, and get as much as you can. do it today

 

[purpledahlia]

katiee.. where do you live?? im 22 and going to be homeless... im not as far on as you and i do have family but they (at the moment) are not willing to help or let me move home, i have a job but it pays minimal and i live in my employers house (nanny) so once i finish working - im on my own!
In uk depending what areas your looking for you need to declare yourself homeless, then they do an 'investigation'.. so proof you have nowhere to go etc all helps, then they put you in temp accomodation and you wiat on a list for a flat.. sometimes you can go thru schemes in the private leasing sector and they pay most of your rent and put you in a privat flat from a landlord, so its nicer, and furnished etc. then you apply for your council tax benefit and your housing benefit and child care mantenance etc.. its so confusing but im looking through it all just now.
'In september im going to leave my job and go to Edinburgh council as my brother lives there - its my local family connection to the city and declare myself homeless, and then stay whereever they put me for a few weeks or with a friend untill i get placed. that should give me enough time to get sorted before buba arrives early december. hopefully by then my parents will have warmed to the idea... but you HAVE to go to your local council or the one you want to live in's council.. it can take months! hurryyyy! xxx

 

[AP]

Purpledahlia, Edinburgh Council are not a wise move. Unless you literally have no where to stay that night, they put you in a B&B. Some guy there told me even this was risky as there are a lot of problematic people in the B&Bs and it may not be safe in my condition. If you take the B&B, they have 9 weeks to house you, and believe me, you won't be heading to nice district. If you don't take the B&B they give you an appointment for a interview in 2 weeks and you may have to bid for housing. I thought i'd tell you, it used to be different but that's the game they play now.

 

[CharlieP]

What a strange thing for the midwife to recommend?

I work for a housing association and all I can advise is to go to the nearest housing advice centre and explain your situation.

Alternatively if you have time in your current place, perhaps you could get a temp job and save for a deposit?

You can work and still be eligible for social housing.

Hope it works out for you. x

 

[AP]

I know! What on earth did midwife tell you to do that, was there a genuine reason? X x

 

[purpledahlia]

oh god, I dunno, I can stay at work for a little bit, ive not told my boss yet, But i am working in London!!! i d not want to be here as i have no family here, and iv only bee here a year, not a huge social network of support. all my friends and family are at home. The only places i have to chooe from is Edinburgh - m brothers the local connection, Clackmannan - my parents live there, but theres no way im living in the council houses there with a baby on my own. and my gran lives in glasgow - not the nicest part. I thought Edin would be best bet?? I would porb have to bid for housing to get on the private sector part.... Someone said i could stay with my brother while wating?!? ahhhh i dunno where to go now! :S x

 

[purpledahlia]

If i save for a deposit... does that mean i can still apply for housing benefits?? if i find a flat, pay deposit, andmake sure rent is low as can be, can i still then apply for housing benefit and council tax benefit??

 

[Katieeeee]

Hey Purpledahlia, sorry to hear you're in the same sort of situation Hope you're ok. Basically when I was 16 I got thrown out because my mum married an evil man who didn't like the fact that me and my sister weren't his kids, and she put him before us and kicked us both out. She went to live with her boyfriend's family and we lost touch and I luckily had a friend who's family were kind enough to let me live with them. They are who I'm living with now, but they won't under ANY circumstances have me here witha baby. It's just not possible. I haven't spoken to my parents in 6 years and I have no other family to go to. So yeah, I'm panicking. I've got my 1st scan on friday so when that's all done and confirmed, I'll have the proof I need to go to the housing place and apply for a house, but I really doubt I'll get anywhere live in Chelmsford in Essex, I'm not too sure what the housing situation is like around here. It's annoying because there are those people who get pregnant just so they can get a bloody council house and then there are those of us who really do need it and can't get it

 

[Mumof42009]

Really feel for you hun, have a look on internet if your local council do a rent deposit scheme this means they will pay the deposit on private rented accomdation as long as the landlord is ok with it you should then be able to get housing benefit hope everything works out for you xx

 

[purpledahlia]

yeah its rubbish. those people are cruel!! at the moment im living in central london with my employer because im a nanny its easy but definately cant stay. ive not told her yet and im hoping she will give me maternity pay because i stupidly dont have a contract!!! essex is not that far from me. let me know how it goes.. i have to move back to scotland though.. it would be better. sorry to hear about your mum!! she will be missing out so much when the little one arrives!! x

 

[Kimmer]

Aas everyone else has said, the council will sort you out!
It sounds bad, but being pregnant is a huge advantage when it comes to getting a house.
Me and my husband are in exactly the same situation, except I'm not pregnant!

Good luck though love