Go FundMe

Well, this is embarrassing and I feel pretty ashamed having to do this. I’m going to explain below why I’m doing this complete act of desperation but want to start off by saying I totally understand everyone is struggling at the moment with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and many have their own mental health and financial worries so I don’t want anybody to make a donation if they can’t afford to do so.

My situation

I received a Section 21 no fault eviction notice on 31 January on the home me and Sid have lived in for 12 years. We have to move by 10 April.

Unfortunately, this came 12 days after losing my job (on 19 January). I lost my job because for most of 2025 my long-term mental health struggles led to a complete breakdown and I was unable to return to work after a long period off sick. There are no hard feelings towards my previous employer – they had been kind and patient but as there was no way of knowing when I’d be able to return to work, they terminated my employment.

So, this eviction notice, which came completely unexpectedly also came as the worst possible time.

However, I have done what I can to get through it. In the first 4 weeks, I called or emailed more than 20 properties, viewed and applied to the 11 that I even got a viewing on. They all turned me down, probably lack of employment and other financial issues were the cause.

Financial issues: I’m entering in to a debt management solution via Citizens Advice because the period of half pay then SSP in 2025 left me with no way to pay credit cards and loan. Credit that I’d accrued after my rent was increased from £900 a month to £1,100 in early 2023, an increase I struggled to meet without borrowing month on month.

Organising and attending the viewings, and managing the communications before and after was incredibly difficult for me. For context, in the whole of 2025, other than to attend medical appointments or pick up groceries, I left the house 4 times: 2 lunches with friends, 1 walk with a friend, and 1 day out with Sid to see a band. It's been a really difficult time.

Anyway, my hand now forced by the eviction notice, after 4 weeks of trying to sort it out myself and getting nowehere, I was referred to Northumberland County Council Homeless Team. I’ve been told that there is a 12-18 month waiting list for social housing even if in top priority banding and that I’d be looking at temporary housing for me and Sid during the waiting time. Not an option that I would ever want but one we were facing. In the week between my referral assessment and the actual meeting I managed to find a private 2 bed house nearby where the landlord was willing to overlook my employment and financial situation with the security of a guarantor. My lovely friend from Uni days agreed to be such guarantor and I secured the property with a holding fee.

Now to the meeting yesterday. I was initially informed at my assessment that because of the Section 21, and that I was already receiving some housing element of Universal Credit, receive PIP and have serious heath problems, that the first month’s rent and deposit on a private place could be funded. This was amazing news as that meant the small amount of accrued holiday pay I received from my job could be spent on moving costs – just man and van moving help for the larger stuff and I’d do all the belongings, etc in car loads myself.

But in yesterday’s meeting I was told I couldn’t receive any help because the rent on the new place is more than the 2 bed entitlement housing benefit. That is £425 a month. I don’t know about your areas but there are NO properties up here for that amount, not even one bedrooms.

I’ve completely broken down at this news. I can’t afford this unexpected move and the associated costs without some financial support. So will have to tell the landlord sorry I can’t take it, lose the holding fee and go back to the plan of temporary housing until a council place become available.

I don’t want me and Sid to live in temporary housing. It’s not ok for him and my mental health will deteriorate even more I think. I’ll have to rehouse my 2 cats (I realise that sounds crazy to be upset about that but they are my daily moments of joy in what is a very bleak world for me right now). Temporary housing is likely to be in a different part of Northumberland that we currently live (we live in a town bordering on Newcastle/Gateshead and Sid is in college in Newcastle).

I’m devastated. I was doing everything I can to get through this eviction alongside my health issues and financial situation but I just can’t do it without some support. It seems crazy to me that the council would rather we be housed temporarily, have to lose all of my furniture and white goods, and e on their waiting list for potentially more than a year rather than help me with this move initially and then I’m self-sufficient going forwards. My plan would be to get the move over with, get settled, be able to treat and improve my mental health and get back to working. Anybody who knows me knows I am a worker and very independent. I just need a leg up to get me through this eviction.

This is what I am raising funds for:

Priority 1: House deposit and April’s rent, minus the holding fee already paid due to be paid 24 March = £1442

Priority 2: A single bed and mattress (and hopefully drawers for storage) for Sid as we can’t fit in his double bed = £300

Priority 3: Some extra towards moving costs using man and van and doing as much of it myself as I can = £500

Priority 4: A fridge-freezer as we can’t fit in our existing one = £250

Total = £2500

Like I said previously, please do not donate if you can’t really afford to. I don’t want or expect that. But if you are in a position to help, I would be incredibly grateful and, in time, will make efforts to pay it back – or in any case where that isn’t wanted – will pay it forward.

Just a further note about not wanting to go into temporary accommodation. From what I understand that wouldn’t be immediate, so we’d have to stay beyond our eviction date, possibly allow legal action to be taken, with all the extra stress that would entail. It could be anywhere in Northumberland – so up to Scottish borders – and we can’t decline what we’re offered without losing our place on the waiting list for a council home, which – again – could be anywhere in the county. Sid is at college in Newcastle so I have to consider that, as well as our current area being the only home he’s known and where he has friends. I really don’t want us to have to go into temporary accommodation.

Thank you in advance