Hello - new to this forum and hoping for some ideas ...
I've been a single parent for 13 years - in that time I've lived in one privately rented property after another. I live in the Borough of Bromley and in order to get on the housing waiting list you have to be threatened with homelessness or actually be homeless. As I have worked for all that time I have never been at the point where I am threatened with eviction. I rely on Housing Benefit to help make up the shortfall between my income and rent but have never managed to earn enough to get off benefits - my rent has steadily risen over the years to absorb any increases in my income. If you claim benefit you are not allowed to have over £3000 in savings which also means you are unable to save enough money for a deposit to buy anywhere.
What I would like to know is if anybody has any suggestions for alternative living arrangements? With social housing being off the agenda and buying not an option can anyone suggest any way I can get out of the benefits trap? If it helps - I work part time as an administrator and am self employed part time as an artist and web designer - neither of which brings me enough income to cover my £775 per calendar month rent without the help of housing benefit.
Some of the suggestions I've had over the years have included living on a boat (mooring fees are as expensive as rent), living as a building guardian (where you look after empty properties - but you have to move every few months) and living in a shared flat to reduce the rent (we did this for a while but I now wouldn't impose my teenager on anybody else - and I doubt anybody would want to live with her either!) - anybody got any ideas for alternative living arrangements?