Single Mum Rent Help

lucy_w86

I am a newly single mum who now needs to find somewhere for me an my little one to rent. I live in SE London which is really expensive and am struggling to find anywhere to live. I earn £26k pa, my little one is in nursery and I have one CC to also pay.

I was wondering if anyone had advice about what I can realistically afford and how to go about it? How do other single mums do it?!

Thanks

princeofpounds

Well you are earning around the national average salary so I'm not sure that you are able to get lots of assistance, but there is certainly support for the baby (that you probably already know about like child support etc).

Check here to understand what you might qualify for.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/BeginnersGuideToBenefits/DG_4016805

NeverAgain_2

What you can realistically afford is to spend about a quarter of your monthly income on rent.

But I'm sure you will tell me there's nothing available for that amount.

Are there any social housing schemes in your area?

They will be among the cheapest, and you will not be at the mercy of a private landlord.

maryjane01

National average salary and London average salary are quite different as are London rents and rents in other parts of the country (and transport and childcare for that matter). £26,000 is not a lot to house yourself and a baby and pay childcare.

BTW, when I was single and earnt the same salary in London, I saved about £500 a month, I was living in a shared house paying under £400 a month rent including bills. I would expect a 1 bedroom place plus bills to cost more than the rent I paid 6 years ago plus the savings I made (ie. more han £900), paying for childcare on top must be crippling.

Pointing out to the OP that she earns the national average wage is not very useful at all in her circumstances. I would suggest you go and ask this question on the benfits board, people over there will know a lot more, and can suggest all benefits you may be entitled to.

hazyjo

Where do you work and where's the nursery? Don't need addresses but helpful to know where you actually need to get to.

I lived in Eltham, SE9 for a while. Very reasonable and, despite what some people say, friendly and nice enough. Some better parts than others - avoid the Mottingham side. Progress Estate and Eltham Park areas are okay.

New Eltham's generally a bit nicer, but not much there.

Jx

princeofpounds

Pointing out to the OP that she earns the national average wage is not very useful at all in her circumstances.

Actually, I was not trying to be unhelpful. I totally agree with you that London salaries tend to be higher, and that it's tough to get by on a below-average salary in London. But state support is generally not London-weighted, and so I was making the point that in practical terms the availability of support is likely to be limited except when it comes to child-linked benefits like CTC and Child Benefit. It might not be a huggy-huggy message but being realistic doesn't mean being hostile.

In fact more generally I think it's a real scandal that governments have been happy to have house prices and rental rates so high that it sucks the economic productivity out of the country - the OP has to compete with LHA-receiving benefits tenants who probably have a budget higher than hers because they receive it at the median rental rate for their area, which almost by definition makes them better off than 50% of the working population housing-wise.

I then pointed direct to the government's own resource for finding out entitlements, which pretty much answer the question ex-social housing options. I suppose I could talk more about social housing (and perhaps some underhand methods to get it) but it's not really a speciality of mine.

lucy_w86

I want to move back to Eltham actually!

I get all the benefits I can; working tax credits and child tax credit and child benefit. I will never find a place for 1/4 of my wage, you are looking at least £700+

I am not going to the council as the waiting list is a joke and if I go homeless I get put in a hostel for months and months. Been there, done that! Not nice!

hazyjo

lucy_w86 wrote: »

I want to move back to Eltham actually!

Small world

Good luck - hope you sort something out soon!

Jx

princeofpounds

Other advice is to visit the DFW board - you aren't totally indebted but they are great at suggesting how to cut bills. The old-style board is great for cutting your food and cleaning product bills too.

RAS

Go to www.turn2us.org.uk and check the Local Housing Allowance for your area.

paddedjohn

dont forget, on top of your wages and benefits you should be getting some cash off the kids father.