Selling house (divorce) Can I apply for social housing?

gemmalouise93

Split with husband last summer, few weeks before our son was born. 

Very little equity in the property and is currently SSTC, I would keep it but unable to pass affordability as single parent (ex has chosen not to be involved) and on my income. 

I’m planning to move in with family as am unable to afford another mortgage/private rental. Could I apply for social housing? Im concerned they will reject it as I’m technically making myself homeless by selling the house. 

Thanks 🙏🏻 

elsien

You’re not making yourself homeless if the house has to be sold.
However, there is a huge shortage of social housing in many areas and you might find yourself in temporary housing such as a hotel, depending on where you are, at least to start with. 

Presumably the ex is paying you maintenance, even if they have chosen not to be involved otherwise?

Bookworm105

nothing stopping you applying
the real question is will you get

marcia_

 Depends on the housing association or council. In some areas you wouldn't be allowed on the list until the home was actually sold and unavailable to you, others are more flexible. 

However as elsien says there are queues of hundreds of people waiting for social housing. It's not unusual to be waiting a couple or more years. My cousin spent 3 years sofa hopping with a child in tow before she got to the top of the list. 

Jemma01

Along with trying your luck with council housing, since you will be living with family for a temporary time, are they able to care for the child while you start working and saving? That could help with rental and other benefits you might be entitled to. You need to start planning for a good future for your child.

housebuyer143

While living with family your banding isn't going to be high because you are housed. To move up the list you need to be facing homelessness - I'm not saying you won't get one as you are, but the wait could be into the years. 
If your family evicts you then they will house you but it's likely to be a bed sit or b&b for sometime. 

Someone I know had two kids living at their parents and gave up waiting for a council house after 3 years and found a private rental which took benefits. That might be the best option.

Myci85

How much equity will you have from your house sale? As savings above a certain amount will mean you can't claim housing benefit, and I'm not sure for certain, but may also mean you're not eligible for council housing. 

This may be one instance when shared ownership may be feasible, depending on your whole circumstances. Someone I know bought shared ownership with their portion of equity from the home sale, they then just had a very small mortgage and rent to pay (less than in private rentals) and still had some equity in property. There can be many pitfalls to share ownership, but in her case the alternative was spend any equity from the house on rent payments over time, and end up back at square one. She is also able to claim universal credit to help towards rent payments as house is not fully owned. 

theartfullodger

You can apply.  Doubt it's worth the bother.

itsthelittlethings

Unless you’re in priority need (and this is dire need), the wait for social housing can be very long, think years. But my perspective is that if you don’t have any realistic hope of buying a house, you might as well get in the waiting list because before you know it, those years will have gone by and you’ll be at the top of your list. Keep logging in to your account and keep your contact details up to date. But in the short term, unless you want to go the TA route, which I personally wouldn’t really, especially with children, if I could avoid it, as the poster above says, you might be better looking for private rental paid for with benefits. In the short term it might be worth asking, I’ve known people get social housing in a relatively short space of time by getting lucky but I think it’s rare.

Alderbank

When you move in with your family, would their home become 'overcrowded'?

There are rules to help you to work it out.
 https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/check_if_your_home_is_overcrowded_by_law

If the calculation shows statutory overcrowding it does not mean you are homeless but you will move up the priority ladder.

housebuyer143

itsthelittlethings said:

Unless you’re in priority need (and this is dire need), the wait for social housing can be very long, think years. But my perspective is that if you don’t have any realistic hope of buying a house, you might as well get in the waiting list because before you know it, those years will have gone by and you’ll be at the top of your list. Keep logging in to your account and keep your contact details up to date. But in the short term, unless you want to go the TA route, which I personally wouldn’t really, especially with children, if I could avoid it, as the poster above says, you might be better looking for private rental paid for with benefits. In the short term it might be worth asking, I’ve known people get social housing in a relatively short space of time by getting lucky but I think it’s rare.

It's not really a list as in you make your way to the top as it reduces.. Those with higher need will go ahead of you and thus you might never move up the list regardless of the time you wait. 
Get on it, but unless they are higher need than those above them they won't be likely to be top of those bidding as their band will be lower.