Left in a mess by a builder

Sunnytaff

Please please please help. I am at my witts end. Firstly its a rather long story, so apologies for that.
2018 I found my mother dead on her bedroom floor. I was left everything in her will (including her £38,000 debt that she had run up through taking out loans and being a shopaholic). I was not able to move into the house I was left because it was in such a bad state: soaking wet walls, ceilings warping damp nad mold everywhere. I'm a single parent of 2 boys currently private renting and paying £650 per month. Anyway, I managed to get a mortgage on the house and pay off all her debts. I applied for a grant from the Council and was awarded £20,000. Found a builder (who had done grant work for the council before, had a good name and positive reputation, I'll call him P) . I was awarded the grant in March 2020, but because of covid nothing could happen.  P The builder submitted an estimate to the council  after going through the Schedule of Works for £24,934.00. So I would have to pay £4934. He said it would take 8 - 12weeks.It was all agreed. Long story short, P  started work on the house 23rd Aug 2021, asked me for my contribution on 24th which I transfered to him straight away. The grant expiry date was Sept 6th 2021. I had to apply for an extension and was granted an extension till 6th Dec 2021. He was hardly at the house, I was constantly ringing him asking him what was happening? , why wasn't work being done? He had done grant work before so he was well aware of the deadlines and time lines. He kept saying things like "just finishing up my other job and I'll be in yours next week" "concentrating on yours from next week", but he never did concentrate on mine. The concrete floors in the house were soaking wet and we agreed that because they were not covered by the grant I would pay him to rip up the downstairs floors and relay them. A normal 3 bedroom terraced house. 14weeks after he started work on the house, all that had been done to the house was, all the walls were hacked off back to the brick apart from the bathroom, that hadn't been touched and that was it. 14weeks to hack the walls of a 3 bed terraced house, the kitchen had been ripped out nad the ceilings had been taken down, so I basically had a shell. On the 18th of Nov he contacted me saying he needed £5880 to order the insulation, concrete and book a slot for the materials to start the floors on 22nd Nov. I transferred it straight away. I went to the house 24th Nov, NOTHING had moved on since my last visit there beginning of November. An argument started because I questioned him on what he was doing, why it was taking so long, why he kept promising things then going back on his word. I told him I was paying over a £1000 per month on rent and mortgage while trying to bring up my two boys. Hus reply was "if you feel like that get someone else to do this". He said he could cancel the order for the flooring, I said "yes, transfer the £5880 back to my account". I asked about the £4934,  he said "I've done way over that amount of work here". He's hacked off 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, small utility room, large living room, hall, stairs and landing, taken down the upstairs ceilings (left all the old insulation piled up in the 1 bedroom and not touched the bathroom) he's also disposed of all the rubbish by taking it all away in his truck (which was stipulated in the grants schedule of works).I've explained all of this to the council. They have agreed a change of contractor but are asking for an invoice of my previous contractor with regards to the works he has completed to date. He is point blank refusing to do this. My new builder is ready to start but because of the time that has been wasted by P I cannot now get any interim payments. They will only pay the full amount once all the work has been completed. So I have a shell for a house, P has walked away with £4934 and not done anywhere near that amount of work  he's refusing to supply an invoice, the council won't send an inspector to the property to value his work UNTIL they receive the invoice and I have no way of funding my new builder to carry on with the works. 
I'm a single parent diagnosed 20yrs ago with Recurrent Depressive Disorder, trying to pay for 2 houaea and look after my two children with Christmas coming. It's an absolute nightmare and I can't carry on for much longer. I'm really hoping that some one out there can help me because I am literally stuck. I'm crying all the time, being sick, I can't sleep and just want this over. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME NAS MY BOYS

Ectophile

Speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau.  You will probably have to take legal action against the builder to get any money back.  Unfortunately, that won't be quick.

Cowboys seem to be attracted to any work that has grants.  I guess it's because the people paying the grants never see how badly the cowboy builders are doing the job.