Can I apply for social housing or rent allowance?

LegacyUser

Hello
Would I be able to apply for social housing in my situation?
I am living with my parents in a two bedroom house. My parents are not really together anymore so are in seperate bedrooms. Consequently there is no bedroom for me.
When I moved in I thought the situation would be temporary until I found work but it has been much longer than I thought. I am claiming Jobseekers Allowance.
How long would i be waiting if I could?

Immaculata

You can apply for social housing. Contact your local council, get a social housing application form, complete it, and get it processed. That's not an issue - as you are on JA, you're almost certainly eligible to apply.

The real question you're facing is whether you're entitled to get rent allowance. You will need a completed social housing application to apply for rent allowance, as the social housing application process is the way the social welfare department determines whether you have a housing need - but as the house you're sharing with your parents is not overcrowded according to the social welfare department, you might not be eligible for rent allowance which would allow you to move out. Your parents effectively being a separated couple means in practice that you've no room to yourself, but in theory, they are a married couple who would usually be sharing a room, so there is a room for you. Hypothetical separations don't mean much to the government.

A lot depends on your age as well, so what I would suggest is that while you're picking up your social housing application form, you talk over your specific situation with the housing department staff and maybe the homelessness outreach staff too.