Proper up the creek with rent

[spare tyre]

Hi all. Haven't posted in years. Long story short, my wife got forced out of work for being a mum and I'm up the creek with my job. Waiting for benefits so we earn less than 800 a month. 160 on transport to work. 650 rent and council tax. Can't get child care. So housing advice needed. Have genuinely thought of a bus in a field.

[hobo]

If you haven’t already, get down to citizen’s advice. I should think you can get housing & council tax benefit. Universal credit too. Good luck.

[Arzosah]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, spare tyre. If you've still got internet access between now and the next time citizens advice opens, go to moneysavingexpert:
Benefits calculator: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/famil ... its-check/

There's this as well: https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help
I clicked through the links for England, if you're in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the home page will take you to their sites.

Free food via free apps: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopp ... food/#free This might not be any good to you - whether you can't download the apps, or there's nothing in your area. And ignore the first item on this list for now, its about mystery shopping at restaurants, which would take a long time to set up.

Can you apply to your local food bank? Now that jobs don't pay living wages it sometimes becomes necessary. Does your local council or housing department do emergency loans?

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[diamond lil]

Great help Hobo and Arzosah, thanks for being so supportive xx

[hobo]

Arzosah reminded me that as well as food banks, check the community free fridge network - search the map here to see if there’s one near you https://www.hubbub.org.uk/the-community-fridge. You don’t need a referral to use a free fridge.

[grenfell]

Another one to check out is the Warm home discount. Apply to your utility supplier and if you meet the criteria , which it would seem that you do , you'll get a refund.

[daylen]

I'm sorry to hear that.

I'd also talk to an employment lawyer if your wife was forced out of work due to being a mother. The law is very clear about employers' obligations towards parents and you may have a case for constructive dismissal.

[Arzosah]

Food-wise, there may be all sorts of small local initiatives. Again, I don't know where you live, but this is an example from the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership https://bhfood.org.uk/how-to-hub/access ... ost-meals/. It also mentions a local Unemployed Families Project https://bucfp.org/

I'm sorry there isn't one answer, and it depends whats around your area.

[spare tyre]

Thanks all for the advice. After a year of trying to sort things out we have finally been granted universal credit, and we have survived our personal shtf. Three months food was only just enough but we have now restocked. Will definitely help out the orgs that helped us now. Just looking for somewhere cheaper now.

[diamond lil]

Awesome. Well done - you faced the SHTF and worked through it!