Work or be homeless!

blue_monkey_2

Squatnow,

There is a chap locally that did exactly what you mentioned and he bought lots of the houses at the same time (well, his father did in the 20's as you said) and now, these houses get rented out to local people for a very nominal rent to enable local people to stay in this area (sadly is is quite a way from us but we are on his 'waiting list' for the outskirts). He is a very good landlord, his houses are all immaculate and well kept, there is a queue of people on his waiting list. His houses would quite easily get 3 times this in private rents. Sadly, not everyone is like this and would be all too quick to sell the land off - as you have mentioned.

blue_monkey_2

Yes there are working people living in coucil houses that are single parents, this is not what everyone is referring to so please do not take offense - although I can see how it looked by speed reading. We are saying that the people we take exception to are those that get a council house and live on benefits with no intention of ever working because there is no incentive to. It is these people that can continue to breed because the government offers them no incentive not to. And we was discussing how there can be a change in this, how we make people have some self respect to go out and work for their money and not expect the tax payer to give them extra cash each time they have another baby because they do not have to worry about who is going to pay for it.

fc123

Rabiddog wrote: »

BTW whats DH and MEW ??

DH; dear hubby. MEW; mortgage equity withdrawal.

BTW...Bizarre thread.
Squat, do you live in Welling? Above the book shop?

When I was a kid at school, I never understood how the holocaust happened (and now too) how could one human do that to a fellow human??
But if you can be convinced that some are "sub-human"....well that's OK then??
Friday night, wine night so no brain night.

Squat...go out for a jog, drink, party for a few hours, chat up a girl / bloke/ whatever.....buy some junk food and hang out on a St corner with some hoodies.

Sapphire

VFR-Rider wrote: »

Sorry but no. While I accept there are some people that need genuine help, this should always be a time fixed amount of help then you should work*, if you cannot work after this period then it should be down to your family/ friends/ people who choose to, to support you. It's not society's job on the whole.

No, I don't agree with this at all. Those who are in genuine need – the sick and elderly, the truly vulnerable, should receive help from society, even indefinitely. The problems that many of these people suffer are beyond the help that any family or friends could give (and many such people do not have either).

I don't know whether anyone of you saw the programme Heat or Eat earlier this week, which showed the plight of elderly people who couldn't afford to heat their homes. These were all people who had worked and lived productive lives in this country and had therefore contributed to it all their lives. It is an absolute disgrace that pensioners should live like this in Britain in this day and age, and that they should be means tested to the extent that they have to use up most of their hard-earned savings (which contribute to their income because pensions are inadequate) to obtain care.

Meanwhile chavs and many people coming in from abroad with large families who don't work and have no intention of working (I don't count Poles, most of whom work hard) are set up with accommodation and given medical care via a massively overloaded NHS, plus numerous other benefits.

In contrast to the above plight of the vulnerable, there are many situations where people are receiving benefits and are perfectly fit to work. They should be rooted out and forced to work if necessary – there are many useful things they could do in society, even without an education. Everyone needs a purpose and discipline in life, and if this principle is not being taught to the skivers by their families, then the problem needs to be handled by people outside the family. Otherwise it is just going to be perpetuated through the generations, and continue being a costly and unwanted burden to society.

nightwatchman

Have you ever question yourselves how other countries cope with similar problems?
I am not talking about poor African countries or China. I am talking about good old Western Europe.
Are you aware that the child benefit in Greece is around £100.00 per year for a family with two children? In Spain is even less than £100.00.
You can now speculate if you wish about which EU nations have the lowest teenage pregnancy rate.
Also Do you know that Greece have no council housing whatsoever! Yes that is right, none, nothing, zero.
However they do have a housing system. They will offer dirt cheap loans to married couples with children which are not already own a house. To qualify you should have no land assets (parents of the couple should have no land assets also) and one of them should be employed for ten years or so.
I have relatives there and I visit them often, however I never seen any homeless. What is considered to be homelessness there is renting.
Are you aware that in Greece and Spain the unemployment benefit is automatically stopped after about six, months?
Also in Greece if you are unemployed for longer than one year you loose your free health care as well.
I have visit this countries on holidays, the poorest and most deprived of their estates would be considered to be nearly a high-class canal side development here.

Hmm….why somehow I have the feeling that our welfare policy will not follow our southern partners example?

Retired_I.F.A.

Is Greece a country then? I always thought it was a union or a club for chip shop owners.

nightwatchman

My point is that these are decent and safe places to live, as long as you willing to work. People there look like coping ok regardless the absent council housing, minimal child benefit, and having their unemployment benefit stopped after short time.

nightwatchman

Retired I.F.A
I am sensing a bit of hostility there.
Do you have anything against policies that encourage people to have a good work ethos?
Or you are afraid that UK may copy Greece and Spain?

Retired_I.F.A.

No hostility at all didn't you see the smiley implying a humerous comment?

Personally I much prefer the greek owned chippie chips, way better than the Indians or the Chinese ones. Not so sure about the English owned chip shops though not having seen one within 20 miles for 40 or more years.

As for foreign systems why should I give a monkeys? I'm English living in England with no intention of ever living abroad.

Dithering_Dad

Retired_I.F.A. wrote: »

As for foreign systems why should I give a monkeys? I'm English living in England with no intention of ever living abroad.

I feel the same. To misquote a Catatonia song, "Everyday when I wake up, I thank the Lord I'm English".

I get tired of the people knocking our country. If the chap above likes Spain (which used to be a fascist country during Franco's military junta) and Greece (which also had a period of facism during George Papadopoulos' military junta) so much then perhaps he should move there. Though I'm sure he'd come running back with his tail between his legs as soon as he got too ill to work and/or needed medical treatment that he couldn't afford to pay privately for...

Me? I'll stay in good old blighty where our last military junta ended back in 1659.