UC and housing crisis recovery
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Hi,
My name is Farzana I am 25 years old and I have a 18 month old child. I am a single mother. I was in care since I was 17 due to abuse from the age of 16 by one member of the family. I suffered from mental health problems which are depression and anxiety, adjustment disorder, emotional unstable trait disorder and post traumatic stress disorder because of the abuse. Previously I was a self harmer and suicidal from 16 up until I got pregnant. I am still currently diagnosed with these health issues. I struggle with them but my son is my rock and if I didn't have him I don't know how or what I would be like or if I would still be alive. He makes me so strong and makes me keep fighting my mental health problems. It's like a battle everyday. Social services placed me in foster care in the borough of Ealing when I was 17 up until 19 as I was born in the borough. From 19 I went into semi independent accommodation which was the YMCA for high risk people. There was 24/7 receptionist if we needed to talk or if we needed help. My main souce for help or advice was the reception or hostel manager and social services. I was told them that I don't need to pay any rent or council tax as social services would pay the extras while I'm on housing benefit. They adviced me that I only needed to pay my electric meter. I started work while living in the YMCA and did 24 hours a week. I was still adviced the same thing that I did not have to pay anything. Then I started to do more hours. No one told me anything different. Since I moved into the YMCA I did not no anything about rent, council tax or any type of bills. I was new to the whole thing. I went along what I was adviced by socials. Because I was at work social services had said if I was working they would discharge me when I turn 21 and of I was studying they would discharge me at 24 years of age. Due to me in care and working I was meant to get help by social services to be housed before I get discharged. That wasn't the case and I had no where to go. 3 weeks before my 21st birthday I was told to leave my YMCA accomodation. As I had no where to go they extended my stay for another month so I could look for a place which was no luck. The day that I had to move out I told my social worker I don't have a place to go she said I need to leave either way so I asked my friend of I can stay at hers which her and her family said yes. From then I kept staying over at 3 different friend's house for couple of months till I went to my dad's cemetery and walked past a guest house. I called up and the landlord said I could move a month after the call. I lived in the guest house payed rent with my wages. The guest house was a room and shared bathroom and kitchen. The day I left my YMCA accomodation I derminated my housing benefit claim, paid everything my self for the guest house accomodation. There was a lot of problems with the accomodation but I needed a roof over my head anything was better than nothing. I was not on any type of benefits. I lived in the guest house from the age of 21 to 23. I fell pregnant, with someone that was wrong for me, 2 months before I turned 23. I told the landlord that I was pregnant when I was 3 months pregnant, he told me he would like me to leave before I give birth. I had no luck. I was then I contact with some of my family members it wasn't fully safe to live in the house. When I was 5 months pregnant the landlord gave everyone notice to leave as he wanted to refurbish the property which was needed.
I went to the council and they moved me to a B and B on the day my landlord told me to leave. After a week staying in the B and B I was moved to a homeless temporary accomodation which was also a hostel. It is a shipping container converted into a flat which BBC Three did a documentary about my flat and filmed a clip of me describing the living circumstance in the documentry called Blindboy undestroyed the world. Also Vicky Spratt interviewed me and wrote a article online called Inside the housing crisis: why I live in a cupboard.
I started to claim housing benefit as the rent is £303.24 a week for a box studio flat. My health professionals said to the council that it was no place for a baby to live in and they also agreed. The council said that they would move me to the bigger container after birth. Which after I gave birth they did not move me till a week after my birth to the one bedroom container. I had to stay in hospital because my midwife did not want to discharge me till I was in a suitable accomodation for a baby. The rent is also £303.24.
I was on maternity for a year which the last 3 months was unpaid. I couldn't go back to work until I organised child care for that 3 months of unpaid maternity leave. I couldn't afford child care on my own. My little sister was 17 and was willing to baby sit my son during her summer holidays so I can go back to work. I had to work part time because my job was in central London, Holborn and I lived in West London Ealing borough. During the last 3 months of my maternity leave I had to apply for income support but universal credit was rolled in Ealing borough in April 2018 the time I had to claim for benefits. I applied for universal credit in April 2018 and had to wait 5 weeks for the first payment to come through. I did not get the advance loan as I had a bit of savings to help me for that 5 weeks and I had to use food banks when I was too short of money. I was determined to not get the advance payment from universal credit as I heard universal credit puts you in dept. When the first payment came through UC did not pay my rent and I had a letter from housing benefit to say that my claim had been terminated from the day I claimed UC. I had so much problems since I have was on UC.
UC stated that because I live in a hostel that housing benefit should be paying my rent still. Housing benefit was saying UC needs to pay my rent. It was very confusing. From April to August 2018 I was on major rent arrears during that time UC had told me that housing benefit had overpaid me and I had to pay them back. I did not understand how that happened. UC started to take payments off me for the overpayment and started to pay my rent. Then they said the overpayment was a mistake but took 2 payments off me. The first rent payment was given to me in August 2018 as a chunk after that payment was made, the month onwards was paid directly to my landlord due to having mental health problems. Also when they gave the chunk payment in August. On the universal credit journal they changed the figures from May to August to show they gave the amount then when they haven't.
I went back to work part time, 12 hours, in June 2018 as I thought it would help me out, money wise, while my sister look afters my son.
My manager at work did a mistake on the system that made me get an overpayment from work which they wanted the money back this was in July 2018 which effected my August UC payment. UC was not aware it was a mistake and reduced my payment which they gave me no child element and no standard allowance and they also have less housing allowance, which they reduced the payment by 400 pounds. I had to pay myself and I was left with no UC payment that month so the left over from my work wages after the deduction they made, left me with limited money to the pay excess amount of rent and essentials for me and my son. But they did give the rent back pay in August as I said the chunk payment, that month so I could give to my landlord which still didn't cover the full amount as my August payment was messed up by work and UC. Literally it was problem and problem.
Up until September when my sister was due back to college, I had to quit work as I had no one to look after my son. My mother's disability effects her looking after him so she was not able to do so but when my sister way baby sitting my son my mother was always there as he was baby sat there.
Up until November 2018 I was told that universal credit has overpaid me due to housing benefit relaps which I did not understand one bit as they said to me I got overpaid then they said I didn't then they said I have. The overpayment is £1949.40 they already took 2 payments off me from the first time they said it was a mistake but did not give the money back. When they told me about this overpayment they put the money they owed me to the overpayment so the overpayment now is £1911.29.
I have also received a letter beginning of this year on the 2nd January 2019 stating that from the YMCA accomodation I have a outstanding balance of £2502.84 because I was working while on housing benefit. So what social services adviced me was fully wrong but I believed them when they said to me that I did not need to pay anything and that they was to pay it. But now because I have no written evidence on what they said back then they have denied even telling me that. It's been 3 years and 11 months that I have left the YMCA and they decided to tell me now that I owe this much. If they told me then I would of paid it off as I was working. I am currently unemployed. When I claimed housing benefit for my current accomodation, homeless temporary accomodation, they have no mentioned this outstanding balance at all even on my online council log in.
I am struggling to pay these off and it stresses me out. I'm asking for help because the thought of being in dept is horrifying. Social services and UC had both messed me over. It has been problems after problems. I have struggled so much and I don't want to fall back on how I was because of this stress.If anyone can donate I will really appreciate. I know I'm no one to ask for help but I'm really in need right now. And I am so sorry for the long explanation I didn't want to leave any details out on what has happened.
Thank you so much for taking time to even read this and if you donate thank you so much.
My name is Farzana I am 25 years old and I have a 18 month old child. I am a single mother. I was in care since I was 17 due to abuse from the age of 16 by one member of the family. I suffered from mental health problems which are depression and anxiety, adjustment disorder, emotional unstable trait disorder and post traumatic stress disorder because of the abuse. Previously I was a self harmer and suicidal from 16 up until I got pregnant. I am still currently diagnosed with these health issues. I struggle with them but my son is my rock and if I didn't have him I don't know how or what I would be like or if I would still be alive. He makes me so strong and makes me keep fighting my mental health problems. It's like a battle everyday. Social services placed me in foster care in the borough of Ealing when I was 17 up until 19 as I was born in the borough. From 19 I went into semi independent accommodation which was the YMCA for high risk people. There was 24/7 receptionist if we needed to talk or if we needed help. My main souce for help or advice was the reception or hostel manager and social services. I was told them that I don't need to pay any rent or council tax as social services would pay the extras while I'm on housing benefit. They adviced me that I only needed to pay my electric meter. I started work while living in the YMCA and did 24 hours a week. I was still adviced the same thing that I did not have to pay anything. Then I started to do more hours. No one told me anything different. Since I moved into the YMCA I did not no anything about rent, council tax or any type of bills. I was new to the whole thing. I went along what I was adviced by socials. Because I was at work social services had said if I was working they would discharge me when I turn 21 and of I was studying they would discharge me at 24 years of age. Due to me in care and working I was meant to get help by social services to be housed before I get discharged. That wasn't the case and I had no where to go. 3 weeks before my 21st birthday I was told to leave my YMCA accomodation. As I had no where to go they extended my stay for another month so I could look for a place which was no luck. The day that I had to move out I told my social worker I don't have a place to go she said I need to leave either way so I asked my friend of I can stay at hers which her and her family said yes. From then I kept staying over at 3 different friend's house for couple of months till I went to my dad's cemetery and walked past a guest house. I called up and the landlord said I could move a month after the call. I lived in the guest house payed rent with my wages. The guest house was a room and shared bathroom and kitchen. The day I left my YMCA accomodation I derminated my housing benefit claim, paid everything my self for the guest house accomodation. There was a lot of problems with the accomodation but I needed a roof over my head anything was better than nothing. I was not on any type of benefits. I lived in the guest house from the age of 21 to 23. I fell pregnant, with someone that was wrong for me, 2 months before I turned 23. I told the landlord that I was pregnant when I was 3 months pregnant, he told me he would like me to leave before I give birth. I had no luck. I was then I contact with some of my family members it wasn't fully safe to live in the house. When I was 5 months pregnant the landlord gave everyone notice to leave as he wanted to refurbish the property which was needed.
I went to the council and they moved me to a B and B on the day my landlord told me to leave. After a week staying in the B and B I was moved to a homeless temporary accomodation which was also a hostel. It is a shipping container converted into a flat which BBC Three did a documentary about my flat and filmed a clip of me describing the living circumstance in the documentry called Blindboy undestroyed the world. Also Vicky Spratt interviewed me and wrote a article online called Inside the housing crisis: why I live in a cupboard.
I started to claim housing benefit as the rent is £303.24 a week for a box studio flat. My health professionals said to the council that it was no place for a baby to live in and they also agreed. The council said that they would move me to the bigger container after birth. Which after I gave birth they did not move me till a week after my birth to the one bedroom container. I had to stay in hospital because my midwife did not want to discharge me till I was in a suitable accomodation for a baby. The rent is also £303.24.
I was on maternity for a year which the last 3 months was unpaid. I couldn't go back to work until I organised child care for that 3 months of unpaid maternity leave. I couldn't afford child care on my own. My little sister was 17 and was willing to baby sit my son during her summer holidays so I can go back to work. I had to work part time because my job was in central London, Holborn and I lived in West London Ealing borough. During the last 3 months of my maternity leave I had to apply for income support but universal credit was rolled in Ealing borough in April 2018 the time I had to claim for benefits. I applied for universal credit in April 2018 and had to wait 5 weeks for the first payment to come through. I did not get the advance loan as I had a bit of savings to help me for that 5 weeks and I had to use food banks when I was too short of money. I was determined to not get the advance payment from universal credit as I heard universal credit puts you in dept. When the first payment came through UC did not pay my rent and I had a letter from housing benefit to say that my claim had been terminated from the day I claimed UC. I had so much problems since I have was on UC.
UC stated that because I live in a hostel that housing benefit should be paying my rent still. Housing benefit was saying UC needs to pay my rent. It was very confusing. From April to August 2018 I was on major rent arrears during that time UC had told me that housing benefit had overpaid me and I had to pay them back. I did not understand how that happened. UC started to take payments off me for the overpayment and started to pay my rent. Then they said the overpayment was a mistake but took 2 payments off me. The first rent payment was given to me in August 2018 as a chunk after that payment was made, the month onwards was paid directly to my landlord due to having mental health problems. Also when they gave the chunk payment in August. On the universal credit journal they changed the figures from May to August to show they gave the amount then when they haven't.
I went back to work part time, 12 hours, in June 2018 as I thought it would help me out, money wise, while my sister look afters my son.
My manager at work did a mistake on the system that made me get an overpayment from work which they wanted the money back this was in July 2018 which effected my August UC payment. UC was not aware it was a mistake and reduced my payment which they gave me no child element and no standard allowance and they also have less housing allowance, which they reduced the payment by 400 pounds. I had to pay myself and I was left with no UC payment that month so the left over from my work wages after the deduction they made, left me with limited money to the pay excess amount of rent and essentials for me and my son. But they did give the rent back pay in August as I said the chunk payment, that month so I could give to my landlord which still didn't cover the full amount as my August payment was messed up by work and UC. Literally it was problem and problem.
Up until September when my sister was due back to college, I had to quit work as I had no one to look after my son. My mother's disability effects her looking after him so she was not able to do so but when my sister way baby sitting my son my mother was always there as he was baby sat there.
Up until November 2018 I was told that universal credit has overpaid me due to housing benefit relaps which I did not understand one bit as they said to me I got overpaid then they said I didn't then they said I have. The overpayment is £1949.40 they already took 2 payments off me from the first time they said it was a mistake but did not give the money back. When they told me about this overpayment they put the money they owed me to the overpayment so the overpayment now is £1911.29.
I have also received a letter beginning of this year on the 2nd January 2019 stating that from the YMCA accomodation I have a outstanding balance of £2502.84 because I was working while on housing benefit. So what social services adviced me was fully wrong but I believed them when they said to me that I did not need to pay anything and that they was to pay it. But now because I have no written evidence on what they said back then they have denied even telling me that. It's been 3 years and 11 months that I have left the YMCA and they decided to tell me now that I owe this much. If they told me then I would of paid it off as I was working. I am currently unemployed. When I claimed housing benefit for my current accomodation, homeless temporary accomodation, they have no mentioned this outstanding balance at all even on my online council log in.
I am struggling to pay these off and it stresses me out. I'm asking for help because the thought of being in dept is horrifying. Social services and UC had both messed me over. It has been problems after problems. I have struggled so much and I don't want to fall back on how I was because of this stress.If anyone can donate I will really appreciate. I know I'm no one to ask for help but I'm really in need right now. And I am so sorry for the long explanation I didn't want to leave any details out on what has happened.
Thank you so much for taking time to even read this and if you donate thank you so much.
Organizer
Farzana Miah
Organizer
England
