Single Parenting in a Bedsit

Like many, I joined the social housing sector as a low priority tenant, so when a bid led to a viewing for affordable housing, I snapped it up. I was placed in a 3x3 bedsit. Initially, this was an okay fit for me. However, since I had my son it has since become physically impossible to live here.

Being a single female in social housing comes with its ups and downs. The so-called protective housing left me in a questionable neighbourhood, up a poorly lit alleyway and up four flights of stairs without a lift, but nonetheless being a single female this was fine by me and gave me an opportunity to get my steps in if nothing else.

Living with a long-term health condition, I was relieved to have some independence even if this meant making a difficult situation work for me. This was of course until I fell pregnant!! Now as you can imagine heavily pregnant with PGP, four flights of stairs and entering the world of single parenting was a lot to carry…especially living with a small human who requires everything but the kitchen sink to make the shortest of trips.

I have made multiple appeals to move to allow for adjustments for my health conditions. Yet I have found it difficult to interact with the housing association, and communicating with them basically feels like a job in itself. My situation was escalated to a complaint due to the turnover of staff and inconsistency of process.

I would like to see changes to the system to improve my situation. I know people in other areas who have found the moving process smoother and faster, which can be frustrating to hear. Although, of course, the housing crisis is having a negative impact on countless people across London - especially single-parent families like mine.

For me, I would like the ability to move across boroughs as an option. This is particularly essential for someone like me dealing with a domestic situation; I broke free from an emotionally manipulative relationship where I experienced threats of harm to myself and the kidnapping my new-born. This, of course, has not made life any easier. One of the most difficult types of abuse is that which doesn't leave any physical marks.

I feel like I am stuck in a catch 22 of potentially losing my space if I choose sheltered accommodation or waiting for a house that is suitable to become available. It is a difficult and stress-inducing waiting game.