Homelessness could spread to middle class

Graham_Devon

The economic downturn and the government's deep cuts to welfare will drive up homelessness over the next few years, raising the spectre of middle class people living on the streets, a major study warns.

The charity says the evidence is that the current recession has seen the poor suffer the most, but other parts of society may be in jeopardy if the government's radical welfare agenda is acted on as the economy stutters.

Other parts of society may suffer? The sheer horror of it all. This is outrageous.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/aug/30/homelessness-middle-class-crisis-study

Loving this article.

Crisis argues that instead of doubling its efforts to end the "scandal" of homelessness, the government is in effect making it impossible for those on low incomes to pay their rent. It says in the past British welfare policy, unlike that in the US, has linked housing benefit to actual rents. But the government's changes break this link and mean that claimants will be priced out of swaths of the country – or end up on the streets in wealthy regions.

Now they listen! Crisis argues its making it impossible for these middle class's to charge high rents. They may actually lose out! The scandal of it all!

ultrawomble

Who are the middle class? With 50% of the population heading for a degree is it them? Does the working class exist now that the unions are neutered?

Graham_Devon

ultrawomble wrote: »

Who are the middle class? With 50% of the population heading for a degree is it them? Does the working class exist now that the unions are neutered?

I remember John prescott asking this question.

He asked a young unemployed (on benefits) girl, who replied she was middle class. Prescott suggested he would see her as more working class....her reply was "but I don't work".

She had a point

wotsthat

The economic downturn and the government's deep cuts to welfare will drive up homelessness over the next few years, raising the spectre of middle class people living on the streets, a major study warns.

Why do agencies who conduct these 'major' studies have no real sense of how someone may react to a decrease in income/ benefits? It's almost as if they couldn't comprehend that someone facing homelessness might consider, just maybe, supplementing reduced benefits with an earned income.

There's an anecdotal coming up (turn away now) but yesterday I was on the M6 and saw a minibus with Lithuanian plates full of young men. There were a number of Polish cars knocking about as well. They might have all been on their holidays of course but I suspect they were in the UK to work. They must be awfully disappointed - having traveled the full width of Europe it's so bad that there are no jobs and even the middle-class are about to become homeless. They've probably gone straight home.

Percy1983

The book "Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class" by Owen Jones gets me, he really missed the point.

Chavs aren't working class as they don't work, they are a new sub class, or as a see them a new sub species many lack any of the qualities which it is to be human.

olly300

Graham_Devon wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/aug/30/homelessness-middle-class-crisis-study

I hate when online newspapers do this - interpret a study and then not give any links.

The average Guardian reader, whether they support the paper or want to slag it off, tends to be more intelligent then average so is quite able to "interpret" the study themselves.

I doubt the study uses the word "middle-class" at all. It's likely to give skills/social bandings for the groups they state could be hit by homelessness.

Loughton_Monkey

Phew!

That was a close one.

I was just discussing, with Mrs Loughton Monkey, the need for us middle classes to contribute to charities and I had just written this cheque for £20K to CRISIS - a good charity for homeless single people, like unmarried mothers having to struggle on as low as £25K benefits - and then your OP came through!

It seems like they are saying that us middle classes may be out on the streets pretty soon, so as a safety measure, I've ripped up the cheque. I need to save the money.

Well done!

StevieJ

Percy1983 wrote: »

The book "Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class" by Owen Jones gets me, he really missed the point.

Chavs aren't working class as they don't work, they are a new sub class, or as a see them a new sub species many lack any of the qualities which it is to be human.

Loads of Chavs work, how do you think they afford their Chelski tickets (and don't say check their other nickname:eek:).

lynzpower

StevieJ wrote: »

Loads of Chavs work, how do you think they afford their Chelski tickets (and don't say check their other nickname:eek:).

Yeah love the way that we all have the skill that looking at somone walking down the road you can tell if someone works or not.

Its brilliant isnt it. We are truly evolving :cool:

Graham_Devon

lynzpower wrote: »

Yeah love the way that we all have the skill that looking at somone walking down the road you can tell if someone works or not.

I'd bet large sums of money that most people will be able to do a damn good job of that one.

I'd be extremely confident in getting a strike rate of at least 7 out of every 10.

Pete111

Given a very decent % of the middle classes with houses are currently paying diddy squat for their mortgages I'd be surprised if this came to pass in any meaningful way.

As an aside, it says a lot about the relentless creep of benefits under labour that the fate of the middle classes can be (supposedly..) linked to the 'radical welfare agenda' of the current govt.