Where can I find cheap housing in central London?
Whilst central London can be pricey if you are willing to travel a little further out, you can find much more affordable properties. I’ve listed some locations to consider, which are not only far cheaper but will get you more space for your money as well!Shepherd’s Bush:Shepherd’s Bush is a popular Zone 2 choice for commuters looking for a convenient commute – it’s only 12 minutes to Oxford Circus, 15 minutes to Holborn and 25 minutes to Liverpool Street on the Central Line.There’s a fantastic social scene, thanks in part to the area’s historic association with young Aussies. There are gigs at the Shepherds Bush Empire and plays at the Bush theatre, while the area’s Middle Eastern canteens won’t break the bank.You can find a one-bedroom flat for well under £1,500 per month close to the Tube and Westfield shopping centre, with a separate kitchen and lounge.Acton:Up and coming Acton has three stations on the Central line: West, North and East. Oxford Circus is 22 minutes from West Acton, 19 minutes from North Acton and just 17 minutes from East Acton. There’s also Acton Town on the Piccadilly line, which can get you to Leicester Square in under 30 minutes.Renters with £1,500 a month can pick up a two double bedroom flat in a gated development complete with concierge, with only a 10-minute walk from East Acton station. Or for the same price you can have a three-bedroom apartment set in a development in the middle of enormous communal gardens and just five minutes’ walk from West Acton station.Ealing:A bit further out in Zone 3, Ealing is a 29 minute commute from Holborn and 30 minutes to Oxford Circus.For £1,450 per month, you could rent a pretty one-bedroom cottage just a few minutes' walk from Ealing Broadway station. Or you can have a recently refurbished three-bedroom flat set in a development with pool and tennis courts for £2,095 a month.These are just a few of your options, but the general rule of thumb is the higher zone number you are in, the cheaper rent becomes (hence why central London is in zone 1).I hope you found this information useful. There’s lots more information on moving to London in these London Area ReportsLet me know if you have any further questions, I’d be happy to try and help.
Liverpool or London..?
Depends what benefits you are looking for, If they are offering the same pay, jump at Liverpool, despite the bad press we recieve there are really some wonderful places to live and bring up children. Liverpool is quite small, the housing in the south of the city in places like Woolton, Allerton, Calderstones and Aigburth rival any city in the country, and are less than half of the price that you will pay in London, so you get a much better house for your money. Liverpool does not suffer from the traffic congestion that London has, so your B/F will be less stressed. It's hard to list all the great things about Liverpool, it would just take so long, but there is so much going on, and the Capital of culture year has really given the city a boost. The new shopping development at Liverpool One was recently voted the best in the country despite lots of publicity about the new Westfield center in London, and a pestigious development in Bristol. Liverpool is within 90 minutes driving time of four National parks (Snowdonia, Lake District, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales) as well as being close to some great beaches (a pod of porpoises was seen in the River last month, so forget about the myth of it being polluted) so its great for day's out with young kids. You would be lucky to get out of London in 90 mins. Liverpool Schools are good, especially in the south of the city, with SFX, St Julies, and Liverpool College at the top of the countries league tables. I come from Liverpool, and of course I am going to recommend my own city, but the only reason I could recomend London is if your B/F is looking for advancement, which is more likely to happen in London, or job security, sadly us 'colonials' always seem to bear the brunt of any job cuts
Can I claim back pay on Local Housing Allowance?
LHA calculations are only applicable since the inception of LHA. When it came into use only new claims were under the LHA rules. Current Housing Benefit claims remained the same. It wouldnt have applied to you as you were already on housing benefit it only comes into play now as you have planned on moving. There are now talks about cancelling the whole LHA debacle as it has turned out to be yet another waste of taxpayers money with the allowance being paid direct to tenants and never reaching the landlord and/or the claimant getting more than the rental costs and therefore having an extra 'hand out' from the taxpayer. The system is seriously flawed and I for one certainly do hope that it is abolished.
Is it enough to allocate £1000 for monthly living expenses for a single person living in Stockport or Manchester, UK?
You probably can somewhere like Stockport, but not necessarily very comfortably.A rough idea based in part on my costs:Rent: £500 (1 or 2 bed flat, Stockport)Council Tax: £75 (Band A/B, inc. 25% single person discount)Gas & Electric: £60Phone & Internet: £25Water: £30Food: £200Transport: £80 (monthly season ticket, Stockport <> Piccadilly)TOTAL: £970Note that this means no car, no savings, no rainy day fund.You would need to cut this down somehow to have any entertainment or leisure budget, and that’s where things get difficult. A house share would help a fair bit. You could live further out for less, but then transport costs go up.
Which area is not considered part of the British Isles?
They are all considered part of the British isles. The Republic of Ireland is the only one not part of the British Islands however the island of Ireland is in the British Isles.