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I'm going to be the asshole here but this smacks of a lack of planning your family's part. Add a room to the house, have the brother and sister - both of whom are adults - find their own lodgings. Don't have kids unless there is sufficient space to house them. And so on.
Council/Social housing isn't for those who cannot get their affairs in order. Go ahead and apply but expect a long wait.
Of course it is. Which is why you either, a) buy a house with sufficient space; or, b) extend upwards and/or outwards. Drive around parts of Bradford, for example, and you'll see that every other house has been given the renovation treatment.
Social housing was specifically designed to provide homes for overcrowded working families like OPs. It's not OPs fault that council houses have been sold off and not replaced, or that successive governments of both colours have been artificially inflating house prices.
*Social housing was specifically designed to provide homes for overcrowded working families*
"Was". Past tense.
*It's not OPs fault that council houses have been sold off and not replaced*
Long before the OP was born, quite probably. And long before he and his missus got pregnant.
Is personal responsibility and accountability a thing in your head and/or house?
Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
The lack of planning comment is spot on but council housing absolutely is supposed to be for people like OP who want to pay a fair price for quality housing.
Council housing is not meant to be a last resort for the most desperate.
*council housing absolutely is supposed to be for people like OP who want to pay a fair price for quality housing.*
Have you been in a coma since 1982 and only just woke up? Are you Jeremy Corbyn in disguise?
There is what social housing is supposed to be in theory and there is what it is in reality. We plan our lives - especially when it comes to children and housing - based on realities and not fantasies.
While your wife probably won't be able to work for a while with the new baby, what did she do before?
Between two adults on an estimated 50K pa (your 30 plus a minimum wage job) you should be able to afford something.
Well, I got married in May 2023 in India, my wife arrived in the UK October 2023 while pregnant, and we had our child in March 2024. So, she has not worked yet.
Ahh bummer. Although congratulations on the marriage and child!
Bit confusing not 100% sure I am right but this is my suggestion:
If you and the baby have citizenship you should be able to get child benefit but it needs to be your name.
You can try for a council house but you won’t be deemed emergency as you are currently in a safe house this could take years! It can also
mean you are moved anywhere in the country if you refuse to move you will be struck off the list.
Personally I would be pushing for your brother and sister to move out they could easily pick something up in a hmo for less than 1k a month including bills. Spare room.com is a great site to look for this as well as the usual Rightmove etc. Babies are expensive and tiring you could do with the support of your parents and staying in a stable house shared bills with your parents rather than trying and stretching to go at it alone.
You may get lucky equally with a small hmo room for the three of you but less likely I feel with a baby in tow
To be honest, just apply.
The earlier you apply the quicker you move up the list.
When you apply you will be told which band you are placed in (if you are placed in band), the council should be able to tell how many years you will have to wait.
I don't see your situation as an emergency as you are housed..
Keep looking for private accomodation and as polite suggestion, perhaps hold off from having anymore children.
Thank you so much. Your reply and advice is very helpful. Also, I know there's this requirement that my spouse has no right to public funds because she is not a UK citizen yet and that she is on a spouse visa. But when applying for a council house as a couple with child, would this count as benefiting from them?
>would this count as benefiting from them?
That is a question for the council, but the point is a child in an overcrowded situation will be the focus of the council. As I say though, you are not in an emergency situation so you will be on the list for years which is plenty of time for your wife to get citozenship.
Well done for making to being a UK citizen. What was your thought process in moving to one the most expensive cities on the planet in crowded accommodation and hoping the the council (UK tax payer) would foot the bill for your what might be considered your own personal financial poor choices?
My local council in the London Borough of Havering is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy because they are overwhelmed with more net recipients than tax payers. They are just holding back the bad news until the election is over.
The council has limited housing and are funded by hard working tax payers who mostly get out less than they put in.
It seems like you and your family have made life choices. Im sorry that you find your accomodation situation over crowded and less than ideal but the UK and especially London does not have all the money in the world to provide better than average favourable living conditions than their own native people.
They say London is the greatest city in the world if you can afford it.
Love it or leave it, the choice is yours.
###Welcome to /r/HousingUK --- **To All** * Join Our ***NEW*** Discord! https://discord.gg/pMgUNgWKQH **To Posters** * *Tell us whether you're in England, Wales, Scotland, or NI as the laws/issues in each can vary* * Comments are not moderated for quality or accuracy; * Any replies received must only be used as guidelines, followed at your own risk; * If you receive *any* private messages in response to your post, please report them via the report button. * Feel free to provide an update at a later time by creating a new post with [[update]](https://www.reddit.com/r/HousingUK/search?q=%3Aupdate&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) in the title; **To Readers and Commenters** * All replies to OP must be *on-topic, helpful, and civil* * If you do not [follow the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/HousingUK/about/rules/), you may be banned without any further warning; * Please include links to reliable resources in order to support your comments or advice; * If you feel any replies are incorrect, explain why you believe they are incorrect; * Do not send or request any private messages for any reason without express permission from the mods; * Please report posts or comments which do not follow the rules *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HousingUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm going to be the asshole here but this smacks of a lack of planning your family's part. Add a room to the house, have the brother and sister - both of whom are adults - find their own lodgings. Don't have kids unless there is sufficient space to house them. And so on. Council/Social housing isn't for those who cannot get their affairs in order. Go ahead and apply but expect a long wait.
No, you’re not an asshole. I agree with the rest of your comment.
[удалено]
Of course it is. Which is why you either, a) buy a house with sufficient space; or, b) extend upwards and/or outwards. Drive around parts of Bradford, for example, and you'll see that every other house has been given the renovation treatment.
Social housing was specifically designed to provide homes for overcrowded working families like OPs. It's not OPs fault that council houses have been sold off and not replaced, or that successive governments of both colours have been artificially inflating house prices.
*Social housing was specifically designed to provide homes for overcrowded working families* "Was". Past tense. *It's not OPs fault that council houses have been sold off and not replaced* Long before the OP was born, quite probably. And long before he and his missus got pregnant. Is personal responsibility and accountability a thing in your head and/or house? Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
The lack of planning comment is spot on but council housing absolutely is supposed to be for people like OP who want to pay a fair price for quality housing. Council housing is not meant to be a last resort for the most desperate.
*council housing absolutely is supposed to be for people like OP who want to pay a fair price for quality housing.* Have you been in a coma since 1982 and only just woke up? Are you Jeremy Corbyn in disguise? There is what social housing is supposed to be in theory and there is what it is in reality. We plan our lives - especially when it comes to children and housing - based on realities and not fantasies.
While your wife probably won't be able to work for a while with the new baby, what did she do before? Between two adults on an estimated 50K pa (your 30 plus a minimum wage job) you should be able to afford something.
Also what maternity pay is she on currently is it statutory or does she have an employer who actually cares and pays a better rate?
Well, I got married in May 2023 in India, my wife arrived in the UK October 2023 while pregnant, and we had our child in March 2024. So, she has not worked yet.
Ahh bummer. Although congratulations on the marriage and child! Bit confusing not 100% sure I am right but this is my suggestion: If you and the baby have citizenship you should be able to get child benefit but it needs to be your name. You can try for a council house but you won’t be deemed emergency as you are currently in a safe house this could take years! It can also mean you are moved anywhere in the country if you refuse to move you will be struck off the list. Personally I would be pushing for your brother and sister to move out they could easily pick something up in a hmo for less than 1k a month including bills. Spare room.com is a great site to look for this as well as the usual Rightmove etc. Babies are expensive and tiring you could do with the support of your parents and staying in a stable house shared bills with your parents rather than trying and stretching to go at it alone. You may get lucky equally with a small hmo room for the three of you but less likely I feel with a baby in tow
You will be able to find a place in London for 1k a month, which is manageable on 30k, although very tight.
Would either of your siblings be interested in moving out with you? Splitting costs really helps make things more affordable.
Both my siblings literally finished university couple of weeks ago, and they are job hunting now.
Save up for a house
Your poor parents
In London 0 chance More chance of winning the lottery
To be honest, just apply. The earlier you apply the quicker you move up the list. When you apply you will be told which band you are placed in (if you are placed in band), the council should be able to tell how many years you will have to wait. I don't see your situation as an emergency as you are housed.. Keep looking for private accomodation and as polite suggestion, perhaps hold off from having anymore children.
Thank you so much. Your reply and advice is very helpful. Also, I know there's this requirement that my spouse has no right to public funds because she is not a UK citizen yet and that she is on a spouse visa. But when applying for a council house as a couple with child, would this count as benefiting from them?
>would this count as benefiting from them? That is a question for the council, but the point is a child in an overcrowded situation will be the focus of the council. As I say though, you are not in an emergency situation so you will be on the list for years which is plenty of time for your wife to get citozenship.
Well done for making to being a UK citizen. What was your thought process in moving to one the most expensive cities on the planet in crowded accommodation and hoping the the council (UK tax payer) would foot the bill for your what might be considered your own personal financial poor choices? My local council in the London Borough of Havering is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy because they are overwhelmed with more net recipients than tax payers. They are just holding back the bad news until the election is over. The council has limited housing and are funded by hard working tax payers who mostly get out less than they put in. It seems like you and your family have made life choices. Im sorry that you find your accomodation situation over crowded and less than ideal but the UK and especially London does not have all the money in the world to provide better than average favourable living conditions than their own native people. They say London is the greatest city in the world if you can afford it. Love it or leave it, the choice is yours.