HOUSING

If you are a lone parent who needs to find new housing there are several options you can consider. The availability of the options will depend on your situation – whether or not you are homeless as well as your general circumstances and resources.

There are three main housing options that you might consider:

Housing Executive/Housing Associations - the Housing Executive is the main provider of public sector housing and also oversees the application and the points based Selection Scheme that decides how their own and Housing Association housing is allocated. There is a high demand for public sector housing and a limited supply so there may be a long wait depending on how many points you are awarded and the area you want to live in.

If you get Income Support or are on a low income you might get help towards the rent and rates through Housing Benefit.

Private rented accommodation - Private rented accommodation is generally more expensive than public sector housing and is often less secure as you have fewer rights than with the Housing Executive or a Housing Association. As there is a high demand for public sector housing, the private rented sector may be the only option if housing is required in a hurry and you are not entitled to be provided with temporary accommodation or do not want to take up this option.

If you get Income Support or are on a low income you might get help towards the rent through Housing Benefit but this may not necessarily include the whole amount of the rent – contact Gingerbread to get advice on this before taking up a tenancy.

Buying a House - Buying a home is a long-term financial commitment and you will need a regular income as well as enough money for the fees and costs this will involve. If you are thinking of buying your own home for the first time you need to consider your options carefully and get as much advice and information as you can so that you are aware of the process and all the implications.

If you get Income Support or are on a low income you might get help towards the rates through Housing Benefit - this depends on your income. In some situations you can get help with the mortgage - usually only if your circumstances change after you have bought your house. Gingerbread can give you advice if you are having problems with the cost of your accommodation.

Co-ownership - this is a publicly funded scheme, which helps you towards owning your own home if you are unable to afford a property on your own. You take out a mortgage to buy a portion of the property and rent the other portion with the option of buying all or part of this portion later on.

Contact us for more information or contact the Co-ownership scheme directly on 0800 333 644

Why you need new accommodation:

How you deal with your housing situation depends on whether or not you need to move urgently or if you are moving for another reason.

Domestic Violence:

If you or your children are at risk of harm by remaining in the family home and are in need of somewhere safe to stay you can contact an organisation like Women’s Aid or seek accommodation through the Housing Executive by applying to be considered as Homeless. The Housing Executive can arrange temporary accommodation for you and try to find permanent accommodation for you.

Women's Aid can also provide temporary accommodation for you – this will be in a refuge, a safe house where you can live free from violence and where you can make decisions free from pressure and fear. You can stay at the refuge for as long as you need, this can be anything from a few days to several months. The refuge will help you if you need to find somewhere permanent to stay. Women's Aid can be contacted on: 24 Hour Domestic Violence Helpline - 0800 917 1414

You may wish to stay in your family home and remove your ex-partner or leave for a short time and return later – you can go to court for an ‘occupation order’ to do this. You may also want to consider a ‘non-molestation order’ to protect yourself from your ex-partner. If you want to stay in your home you should seek advice on how best to do this.

Intimidation:

If you need to leave your house quickly because of intimidation you should contact the Housing Executive or seek advice urgently. The Housing Executive has a duty to provide temporary accommodation if the intimidation is the result of one of the following:

• sectarian attack
• terrorist attack
• racial attack
• an attack because of your sexuality
• an attack because you have a disability

The Housing Executive will require evidence from the police if you are presenting as homeless for any of the above reasons. They will then try to provide you with permanent accommodation if it finds that the intimidation has occurred.

Homelessness:

You can become homeless in a number of ways including:

• Separation / Divorce
• Bereavement
• Domestic Violence
• End of a tenancy
• Repossession

You can also be counted as homeless, even if you still have accommodation, this can happen when your accommodation is:

• too expensive
• unfit or in very poor condition
• making your health deteriorate
• seriously overcrowded

If you are homeless you should seek advice right away or contact your local Housing Executive office to make an application for housing. The Housing Executive has a legal obligation to re-house you under certain circumstances. They will want to know more details about your situation and how you became homeless.

Applying for Public Sector Housing:

If you want accommodation from the Housing Executive or a Housing Association you will need to apply to the Housing Executive and make an application through the Housing Selection Scheme – this system decides how Housing Executive and Housing Association housing is allocated. You can apply if you are 18 or over and normally resident in Northern Ireland. The Housing Selection Scheme gives you points depending on your circumstances. The following will be checked:

• Have you been intimidated?
• Are you homeless?
• Is your current accommodation overcrowded, in poor repair or lacking in basic facilities and how long have you been waiting to be re-housed?
• Health/Social well being – this looks at issues including your Mobility, how suitable your current accommodation is, whether or not you need care and support and if there are other difficult problems or traumatic events that mean you have to move.

It will often be worthwhile seeking advice and having the points awarded to you checked  - this will ensure that your circumstances have been fully taken into account and could in some cases help reduce the length of time you have to wait.  If you are offered permanent accommodation you must complete a year as an ‘introductory tenant’ before you become entitled to your full rights as a Housing Executive or Housing Association tenant.

For further information:

The following organisations may be able to help you, your ex-partner or your children:

Housing Rights Service - You can get more advice on Housing issues from the Housing Rights Service – they provides free, independent, specialist housing advice throughout Northern Ireland on housing issues related to Homelessness, renting accommodation, housing debt and disrepair.

Tel: 9024 5640   Monday to Friday - 9.30 - 1.30

Website: www.housingadviceNI.org

You can get more information and advice from Gingerbread – we can help advise you on your housing situation, help you complete any form that you have, find sources of further assistance as well as advising you on your overall situation.

For further information the Freephone Advice Helpline is available on:

0808 808 8090

Monday - Friday  10am - 4pm (closed 1pm - 2pm )

The Advice is FREE; So is the call!