Britain's Hidden Housing Crisis

Curlywurli

We watched this last night on the i player. I felt sorry for all of them (apart from the bus driver's wife).

The one thing that I did not understand was why on earth the poor lady who had cancer was not invited by her daughter to stay with her. We would not have any money to help anyone but would never let a member of our family become homeless. If one of the kids had to sleep in our bedroom so that we could fit others in then that is what we would do.

BitterAndTwisted

A reasonable person could expect that a someone who was in danger of losing their home would be offered a roof over their head by their relatives. Most especially relatives who had been taking advantage of her child-minding services in the past. Mind you, that would really have scuppered her chances of being offered anything, anywhere.

She was lucky to be offered accommodation but she turned it down.

BigAunty

Curlywurli wrote: »

...

The one thing that I did not understand was why on earth the poor lady who had cancer was not invited by her daughter to stay with her. We would not have any money to help anyone but would never let a member of our family become homeless. If one of the kids had to sleep in our bedroom so that we could fit others in then that is what we would do.

I wonder whether because she was an ex council tenant from years ago when she may have raised her family decades ago in the one she bought. She perhaps had little idea how things have changed in social housing allocation, the much higher demand versus much smaller supply, and how single applications without dependents are treated.

She may possibly have been considered a priority for social housing because she had a disability and knew if she found her own accommodation, the council would no longer have any obligation to house her.

However, as a council can place their homeless in temporary accommodation outside the borough in the interim if they wish, perhaps she just couldn't hack the drop in living standards and lost the will to tolerate the interim accommodation.

If her friend serves her notice, she can go back to the council again with a new homelessness application. My understanding is that a month or so ago, the law changed in England with the localism act and a council no longer has to offer social housing to its homeless. They can instead find them a 2 year let in private accommodation and if refused, do not have to help them any further.

debrag

BigAunty wrote: »

The parents with 4 kids certainly hankered after another council property despite being evicted for arrears and I think they had deluded themselves into thinking that because they were now squashed into a smaller more expensive rental property, that the council ought to fix their self inflicted housing problem.

What I couldn't understand is why when they were finally told (after 2 evictions in a row, who need to be told it's a pipe dream?) that they wouldn't be treated as a priority for housing, they did not qualify for the council operated deposit guarantee scheme that helps low income/in housing need households into privat accommodation.

I assume it's the wages of the bus-driver father that disqualified them from this.

This family seemed incapable of managing quite ordinary tasks like budgeting, making their kids behave, finding employment, getting their kids to school, paying their rent, sorting out their own accommodation. I can't really see them have the drive, skills or inclination to save 2 or 3k for the first month's rent and deposit,agency and moving fees,can you?

I suppose by the very end, the parents must finally have realised that they were on their own, only they could get themselves out of the hostels/B&Bs.

I think it was due to having rent arrears and being evicted for it. They should be glad the council took so long to come to a decision, it meant they didn't need to look for private rent till now.
Is temp hostel rent expensive? The dad should be on a decent wage so surely they can save up over a few months, stop taking taxis having take outs etc. Finding a property + claiming HB (and keep it) could be hard though. Where are their families? maybe move away from London.

BigAunty

debrag wrote: »

I think it was due to having rent arrears and being evicted for it. ...

Perhaps Croydon Council don't directly run a deposit guarantee scheme (were they in Croydon?). I couldn't find one on their website. Instead they provided links to DWP loans which won't apply to that family as the father is working and also to a business that provides them to some tenants, but only those who pass a credit check or can provide a guarantor.

If the bus driver's family have the same approach to budgeting as they do in managing their former council tenancy and schooling their children, chances are that their credit rating is totally shot through debts,etc, and their family and friends would not feel comfortable with potentially being responsible for all their future arrears and damage.

Bigmoney2

Curlywurli wrote: »

We watched this last night on the i player. I felt sorry for all of them (apart from the bus driver's wife).

The one thing that I did not understand was why on earth the poor lady who had cancer was not invited by her daughter to stay with her. We would not have any money to help anyone but would never let a member of our family become homeless. If one of the kids had to sleep in our bedroom so that we could fit others in then that is what we would do.

They would still be technically homeless while living with you, even though they have a roof over their head, but may not be considered high priority.

msalih90

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Kevin only survived becuase of his intelligence and endearing nature.

and the fact it looked like it was in may/ june when it was being filmed if that was jan/ feb then idk what would have happened to him.

pineapple

Given that there are apparently thousands of hidden homeless or facing eviction I wonder what the criteria was in selecting 'stories' for the programme?
Given that this is a problem which is likely to grow, I think this topic could do with some more in depth analysis. Even if it requires more than one programme.
I would particularly like to hear about the policies and track records of different lenders, any interim solutions/arrangements, the help available regionally and nationally and what (if anything) the government is doing to mitigate the problem.
And finally there should there be a Watchdog type programme looking at individual experiences and whether they match the official hype.
Also, it struck me that watching this programme, there would have been any number of potential wealthy benefactors who wouldn't miss a few grand. I'm sure that the cancer sufferer could have been helped for example but it's no use airing a problem after the event.

studio_two

Curlywurli wrote: »

The one thing that I did not understand was why on earth the poor lady who had cancer was not invited by her daughter to stay with her.

The girl that took her for cancer treatment?

I'm sure that was her STEP Daughter. Since she was separated or divorced, that was probably not an option.

gallygirl

Daughter in law. I assume the mother of the children she looked after.