This so called Bedroom Tax

nannytone_2

you tell me why thats rubbish.
brcause i assure you that i know what my circumstabces were a lot better than you do

Marches

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

I accept that taking in a lodger isn't THE solution, and isn't always appropriate. However, it is ONE solution and the knock-on effect may also help those for whom it is inappropriate by reducing demand for 1 bed units in favour of 2 beds.

We need to get away from the notion that when a young person leaves the family home, they are entitled to self contained accommodation. The fact is that, in many cases, this is the most inappropriate housing option and young people may have to do what so many of us did when we left home and share, both housing AND the bills.

Another factor which will help many to resolve their housing issues is the changes to CTB, another reform that many don't agree with. Until now, single people could have their council flat, rent paid, council tax paid and, effectively, if they didn't live there, there was no additional cost. Now they are, at the very least, having to pay some of their Council Tax. Is it just coincidence that there has been a noticeable increase in posters here asking about their entitlement should they suddenly decide to live together?

Obviously, this is an area of the grey market impossible to quantify, but a significant number of single person SH units remain unoccupied in any real sense as their tenant lives elsewhere with, until now, no financial penalty (in fact, it was advantageous to be 2 singles rather than 1 couple). At last, that situation is changing. Even if that means that our unromantic friends move back to mums (on paper, at least), it will still free up some valuable public resource. Who could argue that as anything other than a positive move?

Sorry, but that just sounds awful to me. I'd rather work ridiculous overtime than share a place with strangers.
I'm 21 myself, I don't expect or want assistance from the state. People under the age of 25 shouldn't bother moving out of their parents place if they don't have a job that provides enough income to live without the support of benefits. Obviously there are exceptions though, some people will need to move out earlier.

I think there's too much of a taboo towards living with parents still. I personally only moved out for some space (large family in a small house).
Basically my point is that people contemplating moving out of their parents home should at least be financially self sufficient at the time. If you lose your job, well it happens. But a single person moving out to go straight onto housing benefit is in most cases immoral IMO.

lighting_up_the_chalice

nannytone wrote: »

you tell me why thats rubbish.
brcause i assure you that i know what my circumstabces were a lot better than you do

I simply do not accept that your current property was the only available unit, and that unit just happened to be a nice, modern, new built, 2 bed flat in a quiet, much sought after village..... pull the other one! I remember us having this conversation before and finding over a dozen 1 bed SH units available in the area.

nannytone_2

Marches wrote: »

Sorry, but that just sounds awful to me. I'd rather work ridiculous overtime than share a place with strangers.
I'm 21 myself, I don't expect or want assistance from the state. People under the age of 25 shouldn't bother moving out of their parents place if they don't have a job that provides enough income to live without the support of benefits. Obviously there are exceptions though, some people will need to move out earlier.

I think there's too much of a taboo towards living with parents still. I personally only moved out for some space (large family in a small house).
Basically my point is that people contemplating moving out of their parents home should at least be financially self sufficient at the time. If you lose your job, well it happens. But a single person moving out to go straight onto housing benefit is in most cases immoral IMO.

my brother ( who had a very well paid job) lived with our parents until he was 28. he only moved out when they moved 200 miles away into a 1 bed apartment!

lighting_up_the_chalice

Marches wrote: »

Sorry, but that just sounds awful to me. I'd rather work ridiculous overtime than share a place with strangers.
I'm 21 myself, I don't expect or want assistance from the state. People under the age of 25 shouldn't bother moving out of their parents place if they don't have a job that provides enough income to live without the support of benefits. Obviously there are exceptions though, some people will need to move out earlier.

I think there's too much of a taboo towards living with parents still. I personally only moved out for some space (large family in a small house).
Basically my point is that people contemplating moving out of their parents home should at least be financially self sufficient at the time. If you lose your job, well it happens. But a single person moving out to go straight onto housing benefit is in most cases immoral IMO.

Fortunately, that's just another way the bedroom tax will reduce the pressure on social housing as more young people are encouraged to stay at home for longer by parents who understand their financial value when avoiding a bedroom tax reduction in HB. I hope the old notion of "get down the council and tell em I've thrown you out, they'll have to give you a house!" can be consigned to the dustbin of social history. And all for no more than 25% of their rent!

nannytone_2

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

I simply do not accept that your current property was the only available unit, and that unit just happened to be a nice, modern, new built, 2 bed flat in a quiet, much sought after village..... pull the other one! I remember us having this conversation before and finding over a dozen 1 bed SH units available in the area.

there is an approximat 3 month waiting list for social housing in my area. there are only 2 and 3 beds, no 1 beds AT ALL.
the council offered me a hostel place, 9 miles away in the larger town. one that i had been to shopping with my ex, but did,t know at all.
on the friday morning,,, 7 days before i had to vacate the home i was living in, the council phoned.
they said that the new build flats ( that had already been allocated months previously) had been viewed, and one of those flats had been refused by 3 families and did i want them to nominate me to the HA. of course i said yes.
within 30 minutes the housing officer phoned and asked me to meet him on monday morning to view. within 30 minutes he had completed the application for me and placed the keys in my hand.

so you believe what you like. i KNOW what happened

lighting_up_the_chalice

nannytone wrote: »

there is an approximat 3 month waiting list for social housing in my area. there are only 2 and 3 beds, no 1 beds AT ALL.
the council offered me a hostel place, 9 miles away in the larger town. one that i had been to shopping with my ex, but did,t know at all.
on the friday morning,,, 7 days before i had to vacate the home i was living in, the council phoned.
they said that the new build flats ( that had already been allocated months previously) had been viewed, and one of those flats had been refused by 3 families and did i want them to nominate me to the HA. of course i said yes.
within 30 minutes the housing officer phoned and asked me to meet him on monday morning to view. within 30 minutes he had completed the application for me and placed the keys in my hand.

so you believe what you like. i KNOW what happened

And I KNOW that I showed you several 1 bed units, in your LA area, allocated well within 3 months to bidders in the lowest band.

nannytone_2

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

And I KNOW that I showed you several 1 bed units, in your LA area, allocated well within 3 months to bidders in the lowest band.

i a, blind. at the time i had no support at all ( it has all been put in place since december 2011)
the one bed places you showed were all above shops in places that i have never eveb neen to.
you also showed one 2 bed house in the towwn where i live. i had viewed itand it was disgusting and totally unsuitable ( it has since been refurbished but is still unsuitable because of the steepness of the stairs and the layout)
AND as a disabled person i need the security of social housing rather than being forced to join the transient proivate housing market.

i have no sense of entitlement, but as i was forced to stop working after 30 years, i dont think it is unfair to want a bit of security

lighting_up_the_chalice

nannytone wrote: »

i a, blind. at the time i had no support at all ( it has all been put in place since december 2011)
the one bed places you showed were all above shops in places that i have never eveb neen to.
you also showed one 2 bed house in the towwn where i live. i had viewed itand it was disgusting and totally unsuitable ( it has since been refurbished but is still unsuitable because of the steepness of the stairs and the layout)
AND as a disabled person i need the security of social housing rather than being forced to join the transient proivate housing market.

i have no sense of entitlement, but as i was forced to stop working after 30 years, i dont think it is unfair to want a bit of security

All fair comments, I'm sure. But, even if I accept that your modern, new built, 2 bed flat in a desireable village location WAS the only suitable place in your entire LA area, the fact remains that you moved into your 2 bed flat AFTER the bedroom tax was announced, so this day cannot have come as a shock to you. In fact, you have had over 2 years to prepare for it. And I simply will not accept that in that 2 year period, not a single 1 bed unit has become available.

I am replying to your specific posting, so my apology if my reply sounds as if it is aimed at you and only you. The same applies to all SH tenants who have not taken advantage of the 2 year + lead time of the bedroom tax to better their circumstances before it was implemented.

clemmatis

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

We need to get away from the notion that when a young person leaves the family home, they are entitled to self contained accommodation.

As Housing Benefit is awarded by age -- as a single person under 35 without dependent children is entitled only to the rate for a single room with shared facilities -- I'd say we have got away from it.