Cardboard box beckons???

Not a great day really.
Went to the Housing department at the local council because the tax credit people have over the past four months slowly reduced the tax credits I receive by £70 per month. Seems every 6 weeks or so they send me another document telling me how actually I won't be receiving x anymore and it's been reduced to such and such. Anyway, I thought this reduction would mean I would qualify for more Housing Allowance - nope, turns out I already get the maximum amount they allow for a 2 bed house. It was all I could do not to burst into tears.
So I have another appointment with Housing tomorrow to see if I can qualify for the discretionary extra payments for Housing, which, if I qualify, will fingers crossed, mean I can make the rent this month (it's actually two months because two direct debits came off and I simply didn't have the money for one and the other I thought didn't come off until Aug... this means I am incurring £70 in charges from the bank for paying these items, and a further £28 for going over my overdraft - spoken to the bank explained the situation, their only advice was to move my money into another account and just wrack up a ton of bank charges or take out a loan with them.. except I won't qualify for a loan even if I did want to go down that dangerous and slippery slope - and the consequence of those direct debits and the subsequent charges is I didn't have rent available at the end of July. Landlady has agreed I can make both payments on the 30th Aug - if I don't then she will terminate the tenancy)

Beginning to wonder if I should ask the council for their cardboard box strategy (Yes, I kid you not, they do have one).

And I know it's not really a factor, but the weather isn't helping, its so hot down here; literally too hot to sit out in because it feels like my skin is being burned away and the few hours we did have to be out in it that heat, left me with a rollicking headache.

As I have no idea when I may get a call from aparent enquiring about me childminding for them; my only real hope, I can realistically see, is the discretionary payments, if I get turned down, I'm pretty screwed.

Amazing how an unexpected £100 waterbill could f*** one up so much! I could give my landlady the rent today that was expected at the end of July - trouble is if I do I will then incur masses of charges for all normal monthly direct debits that are yet to come off.

Ok, I really can't think about this anymore - I'm doing all I can to try and get something sorted, I just have to continue knowing that the gods won't let the worst happen, and something will fall into place so me and Rye have a home still come September.