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Benefits, ill mum and girlfriend.
Comments
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OP, does your mother have any care needs - help with toileting, dressing, communication, eating, etc? Do either you or your brother help her with these? How long each week do you spend helping her?
Re new builds for council housing - my area has built over 350 in the last couple of years, according to something I read this moring. They are planning on another 500.0 -
The Local Housing Association has just built 6 three storey houses on the open ground behind my house, I am dreading them filling up with single mums and hoardes of kids.
God I sound like my dad!!!!! :rotfl:
There's a whole estate of them near me, built by a private developer who couldn't sell them so sold to the local HA. Got to feel sorry for the few owner occupiers on there, it is now known as Mini Beirut!0 -
I presume the GF is a 'single' parent, oh how I would love to be able to afford a nice new build for myself, wife and 2 kids, unfortunately I am one of the 'lucky' (or should that be unlucky) few that work for a living to support my family and have to live where I can afford!
No-one is preventing you from applying for social housing, if that is what you aspire to. Your employment status wouldn't be a negative factor in the allocation policy. In fact, many HAs are looking into granting those who are employed a priority.0 -
All I can say that this family and his girlfriend have the benefit system sewn up!!
No one works, most are ill, all get housing benefit and one is a single mum - maybe they might like to move into the homes being built near me - right in the middle of the North Downs.
Not bad and they get to live in a property that I couldn't afford to buy yet worked for 44 years without any period of unemployment. And I end up having to fight for everything and anything benefit wise due to ill health!!
It really does want to make me give up on everything!
Why not just apply for social housing if that's what you want?0 -
lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »No-one is preventing you from applying for social housing, if that is what you aspire to. Your employment status wouldn't be a negative factor in the allocation policy. In fact, many HAs are looking into granting those who are employed a priority.
Nothing except my morals I'm afraid, surely social housing should be a temporary thing, surely anyone in work should aspire to private rent or buying your own home. :beer:Skint but Debt Free at Last :T0 -
Nothing except my morals I'm afraid, surely social housing should be a temporary thing, surely anyone in work should aspire to private rent or buying your own home. :beer:
Social housing was created as an affordable alternative to owner/occupation. Hence the security of tenure.
As for aspiring to private rent? You're not being serious, are you?0 -
lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »Why not just apply for social housing if that's what you want?
Why should I? It seems that I am in the minority that sees welfare benefits and housing benefit as a matter of 'last resort'.
To the poster, his family and his GF, it seems to be a matter of choice.
Why bother working when there are other alternatives'
Maybe I do come from a bygone era when being out of work was a stigma and that being a young single parent was frowned on by society.
As for council houses (now called Social Housing), yes once again they were built cheaply to house those that were homeless.
Now we have down here, houses somewhere approaching £400,000 with 3 bathrooms, landscaped gardens and fully fitted kitchen, that wouldn't look out of place in the window of an upmarket estate agency. These being handed out like sweeties to those that choose that lifestyle.
What next - Right to buy after 5 years at 50% discount!!!0 -
Do you not claim any benefits then grummps?
I fondly remember a time when hypocrisy was frowned on too. Those were the days were they not.0 -
Why should I? It seems that I am in the minority that sees welfare benefits and housing benefit as a matter of 'last resort'.
To the poster, his family and his GF, it seems to be a matter of choice.
Why bother working when there are other alternatives'
Maybe I do come from a bygone era when being out of work was a stigma and that being a young single parent was frowned on by society.
As for council houses (now called Social Housing), yes once again they were built cheaply to house those that were homeless.
Now we have down here, houses somewhere approaching £400,000 with 3 bathrooms, landscaped gardens and fully fitted kitchen, that wouldn't look out of place in the window of an upmarket estate agency. These being handed out like sweeties to those that choose that lifestyle.
What next - Right to buy after 5 years at 50% discount!!!
Where have I suggested that you, or anyone else, shouldn't work for a living? Where have I suggested that a life on benefits is a positive thing? Where have I said anything to encourage benefit dependency?
Social Housing (as it has always been called) was originally intended as an affordable alternative to owner occupation for those who couldn't afford to do so, offering security of tenure to the less well off in society. It's allocation was heavily vetted. At one time, employment was a pre-requisite (for those of employment age) and the homeless were thrown to the mercy of slum landlords. This only changed to a needs based allocation in the 1970s, so the notion that they were "built cheaply to house those that were homeless" just demonstrates your ignorance, I'm afraid.
At this time, being workless would give you no advantage within a social housing allocation framework so, if you are so envious of those £400,000 homes with the nice kitchens, why not apply for one. Then YOU could put in your Right to Buy. But you can't blame a person for exercising a right. If you don't agree with the right, blame those who gave it.0 -
Hmm seems the social housing or council housing varies from place to place. There has been little movement in my area for some time.
I wish the council would build houses (that people can't buy) so landlords wouldn't be able to claim extortionate rates of HB.
I also beleive that people in social/council housing should pay a fair rent - at present council/social tennants who I know and pay rent, pay a ridiculously small amount.
IMO the council rent and LHR should be similar (ie raise council rent and lower LHR).0
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