Council houses owning brand new cars?

I’d like to see what sort of people are getting to move into those. Probably not hardworking couples with a kid or two. It’ll be those classified as having “most need”. Which is debatable.

You don’t get PIP so it’s a bit irrelevant to my point?

also unclear why it’s important the ‘NHS nurse’ part- the NHS is the biggest employer in the UK. Could they not supply you an ill health package perhaps?

@PluckyCheeks

r 2 kids)
Not having to pay service charges for your block of flats

BUT PAYING FOR SOMEONE ELSES

Once more with feeling
Across the river in Nine Elms, Janine Streuli is one of many NHG shared ownership tenants in a block called Viridian Apartments. But far from delivering Kenrick’s utopian vision of good quality housing for everybody, regardless of wealth, Streuli and her neighbours have ended up paying for the concierge and garden landscaping of the wealthy residents of the adjacent luxury block. They’re facilities that she and the fellow affordable housing residents haven’t been given access to; their block has a separate “poor door” and their entrance to the communal gardens are sealed shut
The charge was only announced five years after Streuli moved in, when the affordable housing residents got a bill for thousands of pounds. While their initial leases made clear they wouldn’t have to pay these fees, NHG’s own lease with the building’s management company — which actually runs the development and its facilities — said the opposite. When the discrepancy was eventually identified the tenants were asked to take on the cost. They were now going to be paying to maintain the luxury gardens and concierge that they weren’t even allowed to use. Now she and most of the other residents spend upwards of £6,000 or £7,000 a year in service fees, almost 500% the rate promised when she moved in. While subsidising the facilities of their neighbours, many of their own flats and corridors have dealt with flooding, penetrating damp and mould — problems that have never been adequately fixed. Eventually the residents cobbled together enough money to take NHG to a property tribunal, and next month their fate will be decided by a judge

Laughing at the idea that having several disabled children is doing well.

if I didn't have a car my children wouldn't be able to get to school as we live in the middle of nowhere and I wouldn't be able to get to work! I would never be able to afford rent on a 3 bed property in our area and no landlords take 6 months payments up front without a guarantor. plus how ling would it be before a landlord sold up? I saved half the down payment for my car and the rest is finance. I will never move out of my house as eldest DC will never be able to live alone, if people think I'm entitled then that's on them. after what me and my children have been through we deserve happiest and to feel secure.

The only reason why I get DLA for my son is because he got cancer, almost died and it left him disabled.

I'll gladly swap you but of course, it means your child has to go through what my child has gone through including his near death experience and likely permanent disability.

Yeah, I didn't think you'd be interested. 'Doing well' is a fucking insult.

Some people value other things and not property. So if you like spending money on holidays, eating out, designer clothes and expensive cars, then there is not much money left to invest in property so a council house will do. Other people value property above all else, so go without a lot of things to achieve this. It really is not that hard to work out.

My experience too.

I feel like most MNs live in detached homes with no council properties near them.
They move in circles where they never mix with benefit claimants.
They like to think of themselves as Lady Bountifuls giving their hard earned taxes to the suffering plebs.

The thought that these people might be leading any kind of high life is just unimaginable to them so they stick their fingers in their ears and cover their eyes and shout “oh here we go again!”

All I say to them is, come and live on a council estate (particularly in London) for a couple of months and get back to me.

A new one at that.

I know what the rules are regarding council house tenancy. I’m disagreeing with them.
Life time tenancies means the availability of council housing stock and movement off the waiting list into a vacant property is severely limited. In my opinion, council house tenancies should be means tested and evaluated every 3 years.

I don't have kids so I guess I am doing benefits all wrong.

Loving the image of a house owning a car!

‘People who were born here’- but in London almost 50% of council properties are occupied by someone who wasn’t born in this country?

Same here- hence why I can say it confidently.

its not just the ‘benefit’ amount it’s all the other extras too.

its really not difficult with even just one parent on PIP and one child on high rates DLA to get getting £5000 per month.

Leaflets are handed out. Cars are not. 😂

I can tell you from personal experience that it’s possible to do extremely well.

once your children are on DLA high rates (and you have 2/3/4 of them) - things such as autism / adhd.

one in ten children in the UK now receive DLA.

£735 per month each child
extra £450 for each disabled child on top of your normal UC payments

NO benefits cap for disability so literally amounts are endless.

its not uncommon to be receiving if you / partner have PIP (or both of you) and disabled children plus rent amounts over £5000-£6000 a month.

This has to be satire. How do you know how big people's TVs are?
And what does a woman that is not working look like?

Housing Association rents are set at 80% of average private rents in the area. The advantage being the rents go up and down by inflation not on a LL whim.
So over time tenants can improve their lot - single parents find a partner ( dual income), earn more, get inheritance, kids move out etc.
The nicer housing does seem to end up with those in work already though I notice. The flats or older places go to those in more urgent need.

As I said, it should be for those that need it. In your case you do. Then again, if you can afford a 74 plate car, likelihood is you can afford to save up 6 months rent to pay upfront and privately rent.

I say that as a single parent with 2 young dc and low income. I chose to sell my car and never had a problem renting privately if I paid 6 months rent upfront even when I was on UC and not working.

Well, assuming they’re on benefits, spare cash may come from:

• Universal Credit
• Not having to pay rent or mortgage
• No council tax
• Healthy Start payments for food (around £25 per child per month)
• Regular supermarket vouchers from your council. Tend to be every school holiday and about £90 a time.
• Cost of Living Payments (£300 a go)
• Household Support funding (into the £100s)
• Child benefit (around £200 per month for 2 kids)
• Not having to pay service charges for your block of flats
• Cheap entry to places like London Zoo (£6 per adult instead of £30+) and council gym activities like Soft Play which costs us £13 each time but is only a couple of quid if you’re on benefits.
• Vastly reduced gym membership at council gyms. Around £12 per month at my local one instead of nearly £100 if not on bennies.
• Food bank access. Saves a lot of money!
• PIP if you manage to claim it (£749 pm)
• Free school meals and other help with children attending school.
• 30 free hours at nursery instead of 15, even if you’re not working but in receipt of UC.
• DLA and Carers allowance if you can prove one or more of your kids has ADHD, ASD, etc.
• Reduced utility bills for Thames Water, Broadband, mobile and electricity (just provide proof of UC).
• Winter fuel payments if temp dips below a certain amount for a certain time (don’t need to be old).
• New kitchen and bathroom installed every number of years.
• not having to pay out for roof repairs or any sort of other home maintenance repairs.

I’m sure I’m forgetting some!

But anyway, getting the full raft of benefits often leaves you better off month to month than a non benefit family where one parent works and the other is a SAHP, or even where both parents work but are on low-ish income. I’ve been on both sides of the fence and had more disposable cash on benefits.

They're obviously talking about those people so lucky to qualify for high rate mobility (lucky lucky sods)

So handed out then.

Seconded, OP.

The answers on this thread have taught me a whole load too. Thanks for posting the question

New cars are not " being handed out"! The mobility payment of pip is £300 a month, you can either be paid that and use it however, or it pays to lease a car. If you want a top of the range car you have to pay a deposit (sometimes thousands) and you don't own the car, it's leased. If you had good credit you could get a car on finance for less than the £300 a month and own it after the loan ends without using motability, but motability is good for those who need adaptations etc

I have exactly the same experience as you. I am London based. It's not just the cars. I've seen mega sized TV screens, children playing with latest Apple products and the women typically not working. I've seen it all with my very own eyes.