Council Housing Entitlement Question

jojopo000

Hi

Firstly I hope I am posting on the correct forum as I need some advice.

I currently live in a 2 bedroom 1st floor flat with my partner and 2 boys aged 2 and 7 years. The boys share a room (bunkbeds) and I work whilst my partner looks after the boys as they are our children and we chose to have them. We do have housing benefit to top up our rent.

I have found out that I am expecting our 3rd child in September this year which will mean we will be over crowded and the cot will possibly have to go in our hallway as there is nowhere for it to go in our room.

We have applied for council housing and have been allocated 30 points, I have rang the council who have told me that to get a 2 bed property we would need 100 points or more and to get a 3 bed property we would need well over 100 points (we need a 3 bed once baby arrives). They have also said that once baby is here then we will recieve another 10 points, taking us to only 40 points.

Does anyone know anything of this situation as we have been renting privately throughout our lifes and cannot afford to move to another private abode as the rent here is stupid! Surely we must be entitled to some help from the council?

We live under the Adur Council district and this is with whom we have applied with.

Are the council just saying all this so they dont seem to be offering help on a plate and trying to encourage us to use other means to get a larger property (which we cannot do) or will they help us and is there any way we can help ourselves once baby is here?

I know the 3rd baby is a long way off arriving at present but I am starting to worry as dont want my childrens upbringing affected by lack of rooms/space.

I really hope someone has some advice for us and am sorry for all the questions but the council werent that forthcoming with help on the phone today.

We are not seeing this as a easy route as we have rented privately for many years now and cannot afford to move again to a larger house privately. I am not even fussy at to what area we live in as a home is a home and life is what you make it.

Hope someone can help


Many thanks


Jojopo

black-saturn

Your points will go up when the baby is born but you will have to let them know and provide them with proof. They will also consider that a baby can share it's parents room until it is 6 months old.

wigglygiggly

Have a look around this site to see if it can help you

http://england.shelter.org.uk/home/index.cfm

shelly

jojopo000 wrote:

Surely we must be entitled to some help from the council?

I have to ask, Why do you think you should you be entitled to help from the council?? You said yourself that rentals in your area are stupidly high and you aren't fussy as to what area you live in, can't you find another area yourselves?
I know that some people will choose to come down on me for daring to ask what I have, but I haven't been nasty about it and I don't mean to offend you, I just can't get my head around it when people automatically assume the council will help out. Why should they? (and no I don't work for the council )

pippamannequin

I just think you should remember that council housing was initially brought about to make affordable housing for all, please dont criticise the op, the council houses that were sold in the maggie thatcher days are the ones that made the yuppies, believe me...and took away the affordable housing for all..
good luck op, i wish i knew more to be able to assist you.
As you have time, maybe you could get yourself down to the citizens advice and see if they can give you any more info.

leftieM

The OP doesn't appear to 'automatically' assume the council will help if she has managed thus far. Still, if there is help available why not avail?

astonsmummy

In our area overcrowding isnt considered until the baby is one so basically they say the baby can be in your room until he/she is one years old, i dont really have any ideas as most councils these days wont house you unless your homeless, if not it's a long wait.

astonsmummy

shelly wrote:

I have to ask, Why do you think you should you be entitled to help from the council?? You said yourself that rentals in your area are stupidly high and you aren't fussy as to what area you live in, can't you find another area yourselves?
I know that some people will choose to come down on me for daring to ask what I have, but I haven't been nasty about it and I don't mean to offend you, I just can't get my head around it when people automatically assume the council will help out. Why should they? (and no I don't work for the council )

Why shouldnt she be entitled? almost anyone can join a council housing register so dont really get where you are coming from?

shelly

k60sav wrote:

please dont criticise the op

I don't think that I was criticising the OP. Merely asking a question.

MJMum

Might be time for a "family bed" solution, because as has been said, the council will assume baby is in with you for the first few months anyway.

kellywelly_2

astonsmummy wrote:

In our area overcrowding isnt considered until the baby is one so basically they say the baby can be in your room until he/she is one years old, i dont really have any ideas as most councils these days wont house you unless your homeless, if not it's a long wait.

Not to panic you but my cousin and her husband are overcrowded they already live in a council house, need a bigger property and their youngest girl is still in thier room and she is five :eek: