HB claimant, better to get bedsit or flat?

[ryouga]

I suffer from severe depression and because of it and major accomodation issues want to move from my disgusting student pad to a flat but was worried about cash.

Most 1 bedroom flats in my area are about £65-£75 unfurnished or £70-£90 furnished and massive flats and perfect for me but was worried about the income side of it.

Checking my local LA rates id get £51.50 for a bedsit and up to £80 for a flat so im not sure.

Mainly as my £60 at my student place covers "all" bills i.e electric but have to pay extra for washing machines, also includes internet but its so slow that it grinds to a crawl, thefts are common for parcels and letters so a negative thing but the only thing keeping me here is that I dont want to be alone.

But for the last few weeks have been really excited about some flats I have seen but most are unfurnished so have no way of getting furniture otherwise I would have taken them, plus obv a months rent and a months rent as deposit means I wont have much cash until HB arrives.

Plus im worried about water rates and electric though I had own flat 2 years ago and with a card meter spent about £5-£8 a week combined gas and electric for summer, and in winter shared with a friend in a 2 bedroom flat but smaller and spent about £8 a week.

So the only thing really holding me back is that paying the deposit and first months rent which I can do but means Im a bit skint for a few weeks but willing to do, Worries that even though the local authoritys pay £80 a week for a 1 bedroom flat with own facilites they wont pay that much.

Water rates and gas and electric.

So right now I pay like £9 top up each week on what I get and extra for washing machine so essentially ups rent to £70 anyway, and if I get full HB then im £10 better off than now and can use that for gas and electric its just water rates that put me off and I would need a phone line and internet for uni.

I am really excited though about it just have doubts about HB paying full rates.

There is another flat but nowhere near as big or nice but includes water rates and gas CH but further away from town so about 30-45 minutes walk from uni compared to the one I like which is 15 minutes walk.

Or a small flat across road from where I am staying now unfurnished(both flats I like are) but quite small but £65 a week so better if I get a job but isnt as nice as the big flat.