New chapter. Advice please

misspickle_2

9 years single and happy as a pig in muck. Life is about to change though, as I knew it would.
Everything is about to change in one go!
For the record I'm a tough old boot. And all I ask for on this thread is practicalities, legal info, wisdom and advice and the stories of others.
I have no interest whatsoever in blatant negativity. I don't have time for all that and I have little patience for it. There is no "woe is me". I am perfectly happy with what I plan to do. It is a personal choice and I would like to make that clear.

I am very blessed that this country and the people in it (tax payers) have helped me whilst I've been a single mum. I have worked all my life and I have my own business as a dog groomer/animal carer. I have also spent a large chunk of my life working full time with racehorses and I have paid my tax.
I receive WTC and a portion of my rent is paid. I also receive child maintenance. My dds father is a lovely man and has never missed a payment despite him having another family for the last 8 years.
My dd is 15 years of age. Her ambition is to be a jockey so I have put all steps in place for this to happen. We move to Newmarket next year and she will be on a residential course for 3 years and then she will move on to a live in race yard position.

I too will be moving to Newmarket at my dds request. It makes sense anyway as I will have fulltime work easily due to experience. I will only see dd for a few hours on a Sunday due to our full time work on separate yards but we need to be in the same area so I am happy to move there.

I am going down the caravan route for my own accommodation. Surely I won't be able to afford normal housing rent, even working full time.
So many drawbacks of trying to live in a what would be "bought by me" caravan though.
This is what I need help with. I feel I should turn my back from claiming any type of benefit once dd has flown the nest.
But what happens about postal address and doctors and other important things.
And god knows what else I haven't thought about.
And no I would not contemplate a live in job at my age. I spent over ten years on live in jobs. I like my own space and I have animals of my own to care for.
I need my own caravan. But I'm happy to switch about and move sites etc

misspickle_2

I would have and earn roughly £600 a month after tax.
If that helps.
The caravan would be paid and bought by myself.

teddypinkskin

One obstacle I can think of straight away is that most caravan sites don't allow you to live there 52 weeks of the year. You need to have a plan in place for yourself and the animals when you aren't allowed on site.

Sorry I can't be more positive but this is something you need to consider.

dinosaur7

Sorry, no knowledge or advice to offer on this issue, but wanted to post anyway just to wish you the very best with this.


As someone who has a tendency to focus on the negatives (but is trying hard to change!) I so admire your positive, 'can do' attitude. I have no doubt you will find a way to make this work wonderfully for both you and your daughter.


Wishing you every happiness in your new adventure!

misspickle_2

teddypinkskin wrote: »

One obstacle I can think of straight away is that most caravan sites don't allow you to live there 52 weeks of the year. You need to have a plan in place for yourself and the animals when you aren't allowed on site.

Sorry I can't be more positive but this is something you need to consider.

I'm happy to move about a bit.
Its the postal address thing whilst moving about that's a nightmare.
You are stuffed without a fixed address. Or are you?
I'm the queen of planning
No choice but to be lol.

his_missus

Not quite the same situation but I knew someone who lived on a barge and he needed to have a permanent address so he could be on electoral role, sign up for a GP etc. so he used his mum and dad's address. His post was delivered there too. Is there anyone you could use as a permanent address?


Also I think most holiday style sites allow you to stay for only 10 or 11 months otherwise they're considered as a residential park. Someone else I know rents out his own house, lives 6 months in his holiday caravan, rents that out for the few months whilst the site is still open and has a 6 month "holiday" in the sun.


Sorry I can't be more help.


Perhaps if you couldn't stay on a site all year you could take a holiday, stay with family/friends?

misspickle_2

I'm very much a lover of freedom dinosaur.
Bit of a nomad really.
Which is all well and good whilst healthy! But may bite me on the backside when I'm older.
Although I'm quite happy to pull the trigger once I'm old knackered.
I have no desire to be a burden.
But may need NHS for a bust leg or arm. Especially working with horses.

misspickle_2

his_missus wrote: »

Not quite the same situation but I knew someone who lived on a barge and he needed to have a permanent address so he could be on electoral role, sign up for a GP etc. so he used his mum and dad's address. His post was delivered there too. Is there anyone you could use as a permanent address?


Also I think most holiday style sites allow you to stay for only 10 or 11 months otherwise they're considered as a residential park. Someone else I know rents out his own house, lives 6 months in his holiday caravan, rents that out for the few months whilst the site is still open and has a 6 month "holiday" in the sun.


Sorry I can't be more help.


Perhaps if you couldn't stay on a site all year you could take a holiday, stay with family/friends?

I could use my dads whilst he is alive. He wouldn't mind.
And I was already thinking six months in one place and six months in another.
Trouble is my dad is 100 miles away so can't use that address for doctors.
Any other way round it?

Fireflyaway

I looked into this myself a while back. I'm no expert but what I found was that there are usually restrictions re how long you can stay put on static sties. You would have to move on every 28 days or so I think it is. You would also have to pay a pitch fee per night. Some are cheap £2.50 per night and some a lot more up to £10 per night when I looked.

Re the postal address - you can set up a PO box address and collect your mail from the post office.

I think it sounds great if you want a simple quiet life. Good luck!

Cuilean

No practical financial advice to add, but wanted to give you a virtual high five for being awesome. You're giving up everything you know to give your daughter a brilliant future, and you've clearly spent a lot of time considering the best way to make it all happen.


As for mail, have you considered a rented mailbox in Newmarket? I used Mailboxes Etc when I moved to Scotland and bounced around various temporary addresses. You could name your mailbox anything - "Mailbox 256", "Flat 256" etc - to make it look more like a credible address, and they forward your mail on to you at intervals you specify, to an address of your choice. This was going back a good decade, mind you, so it's possible there's a cheaper/better way of doing it.


Good luck to you, and your DD on your adventure :T

BigAunty

Ask on the housing forum about the pitfalls/benefits of living in a caravan. Where are you planning to site it?

Most residential sites have conditions about age/type of caravan - you are expected to replace it every x years. Be sure to read up about the issues that come with residential sites, including poor management, etc. They tend to host large chalets, not the mobile caravan you speak of that can move from place to place with ease. The holiday (non-residential sites) that host holiday/leisure caravans tend to be for short stays only and be expensive per night.

Caravans are typically terrible when it comes to insulation - broiling in summer and drafty in winter, they can really burn through energy.

Find some blogs from caravan dwellers (or full time motor home dwellers) to get an idea of the highs and lows.


The Shelter website has a section about living in a mobile/static - it's actually possible to get HB for rent and some of the fees - look into this.

If you are entitled to benefits, then you are entitled. No need to live in substandard accommodation out of misplaced guilt. Most people (around 8 out of 10 new claims) for HB come from people in employment. Rents are simply far higher than average to low income allows. We live in a low wage/high rent society - it's not your fault.

If you are over the age of 35, if your income is low, you would be entitled to Local Housing Allowance for a 1 bedroom property.

Obviously, many landlords won't rent to HB claimants but some do. LHA is capped at the lowest third of market rents so it's not going to be luxurious or in the best part of town (and many people claim that there is virtually none available at the level of LHA anyway). Landlords are more amenable to HB claimants if they can offer a guarantor.

Have you considered living with your daughter in a 2 bed? If she is a full time student, I believe you would get the 2 bedroom rate of LHA but do check. The Benefits forum has a housing benefit officer who regularly posts there.

Check out LHA rates for Newmarket, then have a look on Gumtree and other websites to see what you can get for that level of HB.

There are a lot of people who live in actual mobile homes (rather than caravans) - campervans, motorhomes or 'stealth' vans - makes upping sticks and parking a lot easier.

The latter (stealth) are commercial vehicles that have been converted into mobile homes but don't look like them from the outside. The occupier wants to be able to park up where they like without getting moved on, doesn't want to be a target for thieves, so they will be either windowless or have tinted windows. Some are really well crafted - thick insulation, big cooker, woodburning stove or central heating, etc.

Look into getting a mail box or virtual address - doesn't have to be with the post office, there's usually lots of places, like Mailbox and other companies that offer collection services.