Potentially Homeless 18yr old in full time education Who needs help ASAP!

Helpneededasap

hi, i'm 18 and I'm about to become homeless.

I'm currently in year 13, studying my A levels while also playing basketball competitively. this includes me training playing matches on the weekend. i cannot drop the basketball as it part of my BTEC course ans my apprenticeship which i do. ( i don't get paid for the apprenticeship).

I currently live with my aunt, who is my legal guardian, as mother passed away when I was 7. I cannot live with my father due to legal and personal reasons.

However since I've turned 18, (December 9th) my aunt no longer wants to look after me, often telling me that i need to find a place to stay.

I'm planning to take a gap year next year, and i was wondering if there is any accommodation options or benefits which i can claim. i would work if I could, however that isn't an option.

During my gap year I'm planning to work, as I've got a scholarship offer to play basketball in Atlanta the year after, so stopping basketball will ruin my career and my course in life.

so any help/advice of what I can do until the end of this academic year will be appreciated!!!!!

pmlindyloo

Helpneededasap wrote: »

hi, i'm 18 and I'm about to become homeless.

I'm currently in year 13, studying my A levels while also playing basketball competitively. this includes me training playing matches on the weekend. i cannot drop the basketball as it part of my BTEC course ans my apprenticeship which i do. ( i don't get paid for the apprenticeship).

I currently live with my aunt, who is my legal guardian, as mother passed away when I was 7. I cannot live with my father due to legal and personal reasons.

However since I've turned 18, (December 9th) my aunt no longer wants to look after me, often telling me that i need to find a place to stay.

I'm planning to take a gap year next year, and i was wondering if there is any accommodation options or benefits which i can claim. i would work if I could, however that isn't an option.

During my gap year I'm planning to work, as I've got a scholarship offer to play basketball in Atlanta the year after, so stopping basketball will ruin my career and my course in life.

so any help/advice of what I can do until the end of this academic year will be appreciated!!!!!

Are you sure that your aunt really means for you to leave? Has she sat down with you and told you to leave or is it said in the 'heat of the moment'? Suggest you have a serious talk with her.

Is your aunt receiving child tax credits for you and child benefit? These would stop if you move out.

So, if your aunt genuinely wants you out then she would need to write a letter to say that you are estranged if you wanted to apply for benefits.

In this situation you may be entitled to income support, housing benefit (but only shared accommodation rate) and council tax support.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/information__resources/benefits/young_people/benefits_and_young_people.aspx

However, living under these circumstances is not much fun. You would need to find a room in a shared house/become someone's lodger.

There is only 6 months or so before you can leave school and find a job. Please consider all this very carefully before you make any decisions which you and your aunt live to regret.

Helpneededasap

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Are you sure that your aunt really means for you to leave? Has she sat down with you and told you to leave or is it said in the 'heat of the moment'? Suggest you have a serious talk with her.

Is your aunt receiving child tax credits for you and child benefit? These would stop if you move out.

So, if your aunt genuinely wants you out then she would need to write a letter to say that you are estranged if you wanted to apply for benefits.

In this situation you may be entitled to income support, housing benefit (but only shared accommodation rate) and council tax support.

However, living under these circumstances is not much fun. You would need to find a room in a shared house/become someone's lodger.

There is only 6 months or so before you can leave school and find a job. Please consider all this very carefully before you make any decisions which you and your aunt live to regret.

well I guess she's pretty serious, she having already kicked my brother out when he had turned 18 (he's two years older than me).

I'll sit down and have a talk with her about it and keep you updated, thanks for the reply though

Suarez

Why is working not an option?

pmlindyloo

Helpneededasap wrote: »

hi, i'm 18 and I'm about to become homeless.

I'm currently in year 13, studying my A levels while also playing basketball competitively. this includes me training playing matches on the weekend. i cannot drop the basketball as it part of my BTEC course ans my apprenticeship which i do. ( i don't get paid for the apprenticeship).

I currently live with my aunt, who is my legal guardian, as mother passed away when I was 7. I cannot live with my father due to legal and personal reasons.

However since I've turned 18, (December 9th) my aunt no longer wants to look after me, often telling me that i need to find a place to stay.

I'm planning to take a gap year next year, and i was wondering if there is any accommodation options or benefits which i can claim. i would work if I could, however that isn't an option.

During my gap year I'm planning to work, as I've got a scholarship offer to play basketball in Atlanta the year after, so stopping basketball will ruin my career and my course in life.

so any help/advice of what I can do until the end of this academic year will be appreciated!!!!!

OP just wants to know about while they are at school.

Prinzessilein

You should contact your Pastoral Care Tutor at school. (They may have a different job title...if in doubt, your Head of Year will tall you who to see.) They will be able to help you look through your options and put you in touch with various organizations, help you get the necessary forms and fill them in et.c


Would your aunt be prepared to wait until the New School Year? Obviously, holidays have started, and contacting staff is more difficult (but not impossible!)


Where do you study for the BTEC modules? If you go to college for this then there may also be help available from their Student Counsellor (again, job titles vary!) - this may be dependant on how many hours you study at college.


It may seem a little overwhelming at the moment, but help is out there, and you do not have to go through this alone!

Helpneededasap

Prinzessilein wrote: »

You should contact your Pastoral Care Tutor at school. (They may have a different job title...if in doubt, your Head of Year will tall you who to see.) They will be able to help you look through your options and put you in touch with various organizations, help you get the necessary forms and fill them in et.c


Would your aunt be prepared to wait until the New School Year? Obviously, holidays have started, and contacting staff is more difficult (but not impossible!)


Where do you study for the BTEC modules? If you go to college for this then there may also be help available from their Student Counsellor (again, job titles vary!) - this may be dependant on how many hours you study at college.


It may seem a little overwhelming at the moment, but help is out there, and you do not have to go through this alone!

Having talked to her, I don't think she's willing to wait until the end of the school year.

I do study my BTEC at my sixth-form, and contacting my head of year seems like a smart thing to do. Good thing she's very kind and very helpful towards me.

Thank you very much, I hadn't thought of that

Money_maker

Can your older brother help you out? My heart goes out to you, you're the same age as as my DS2. This is the stage when you really need the help.

xylophone

What did your brother do in this situation? Is he aware of what is happening and can he assist at all?

If you were able to live with him, would CB/CTC/housing benefit etc be available?

Your first step must be to contact the Pastoral Care tutor at school; presumably she will ask to meet your aunt to discuss your welfare.

I have to say that I find your aunt's attitude very difficult to understand - do you know what is at the root of it?

TELLIT01

Suarez wrote: »

Why is working not an option?

He's currently in full time education.

Income Support on the basis of estrangement & Full Time Non Advanced Education may be the way to go.

dearlouise

Why do you want to take a gap year? Given the circumstances, unless you have something really good lined up & it's for a purpose, it's best to do it after university.

If you sort out your living situation now (I'm sure it will be easily fixed) taking a gap year will change everything... possibly screw everything up!