On a longshot, I emailed the local Housing Register team, hoping that they would be more helpful over the internet than they are face to face (where they basically tell me to get knocked up to get a house).
I explained my situation, that I'm living with my parents and brother in a 3-bedroom house that was not designed for four adults, and that I'm not wanted here and my mental and physical health is suffering as a result. I also explained that even though I've been looking for somewhere else to live, most of the one-bedroom private rental properties in the area are either a) for students only, b) priced "based on two-people sharing" meaning I would be paying double the listed rent, or c) don't accept unemployed people as tenants. The few that don't have those issues want a deposit and several months' rent in advance, which I cannot afford.
I got a surprisingly prompt reply from them. I'm too young to get housing benefit to live on my own. I can only get it for shared renting with another person, and only for £250pcm, which wouldn't cover most of the properties I was finding.
I also might be eligible to go on the housing register "with a need for sharing facilities with people you are not planning on moving with." Whatever that means. I think I'll pop in on Monday, armed with a print out of the email, and ask for clarification.
Hmm...
On a longshot, I emailed the local Housing Register team, hoping that they would be more helpful over the internet than they are face to face (where they basically tell me to get knocked up to get a house).
I explained my situation, that I'm living with my parents and brother in a 3-bedroom house that was not designed for four adults, and that I'm not wanted here and my mental and physical health is suffering as a result. I also explained that even though I've been looking for somewhere else to live, most of the one-bedroom private rental properties in the area are either a) for students only, b) priced "based on two-people sharing" meaning I would be paying double the listed rent, or c) don't accept unemployed people as tenants. The few that don't have those issues want a deposit and several months' rent in advance, which I cannot afford.
I got a surprisingly prompt reply from them. I'm too young to get housing benefit to live on my own. I can only get it for shared renting with another person, and only for £250pcm, which wouldn't cover most of the properties I was finding.
I also might be eligible to go on the housing register "with a need for sharing facilities with people you are not planning on moving with." Whatever that means. I think I'll pop in on Monday, armed with a print out of the email, and ask for clarification.