Home help
Question
My Mum wants me to move out of her house by the end of the month. The thing is, I don't want to live by myself because I know I'll get lonely and depressed and will end up using drugs or drink to stop the loneliness.
I've spent time living in squats for a few days at a time to avoid my Mum, but I can't cope with the lack of security. Even though the people are welcoming and friendly, the constant moving and uncertainty drives me crazy.
I would like to live in a flat share - preferably with other young people - but I don't know how to find one. Most flat shares advertise for 'professionals' and I wouldn't use that word to describe myself. Can you help?
Answer
If you need to move out to get away from the conflict at home, there are a number of options you might want to consider. Firstly, you may be able to get help to sort out the problems at home. If this isn't possible, make sure you're as prepared as you can be before you have to move. It's important to think carefully about your housing options, what you want, who you want to live with, and what you can afford.
Finding accommodation can be difficult because of the potentially high cost of housing and your options may be limited to how much you can afford.
You might decide to rent accommodation privately. To find somewhere to privately rent a room in a shared house or flat you can try estate agents and lettings agencies or advertisements in local newspapers. If you use an agency they will usually charge fees for things such as references and administration charges. You will need money up front to pay for rent in advance (usually one month) and a deposit (at least the equivalent to one month's rent).
If you are on a low income, or benefits, and you're concerned you might not be able to afford to pay the rent you might qualify for housing benefit. You could also find out if you're able to get assistance towards the cost of a deposit from a local scheme if you don't have the money yourself.
Cheaper housing can be found through council housing, housing associations and housing co-ops. But, in many areas, it hard to get a place and you could be on a waiting list for a long time. You might want to put your name down on the list anyway, so you've got a chance of getting a place in the future.
In addition, if you have to leave home and you have nowhere else to live you could apply as homeless to the council. Applying as homeless is not the same as putting your name on the waiting list for a permanent council home. If you choose to apply as homeless it's important to make sure the person you speak to understands that you need help immediately because you are homeless but that you also want to go on the waiting list. You can apply as homeless up to 28 days before you become homeless.
If you don't have anywhere to live, your local council may have a duty to house you. What help you get from the council will depend on your circumstances. You can use Shelter's free online assessment to help you work out what help you're entitled to from the council.
Because there could be a number of options open to you, you may find it helpful to seek further information from a local advice service. An advisor could go through your options with you in more detail so that you feel able to make a decision about what to do next.
It's important to look after your emotional wellbeing too, if you feel lonely or depressed at any time you can speak to an advisor at SupportLine about how you're feeling on 020 8554 9004. Alternatively, if you're worried about drugs or alcohol you can contact FRANK on 0800 77 66 00.
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Question answered by Shelter
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