To think that there is a misunderstanding about social housing.

There's a lot of rental houses near me. There's one that is £1300 a month, the exact same house, literally next door, is £495 for social housing.

All about supply and demand. They have also built a lot of social housing alongside new estates in a town close to me. There are hardly any private rentals as you can get a council flat fairly easily.

A work colleague moved from a council/ha flat at £375 a month to a new council/ha 3 bed semi detached at £450 a month. No major vulnerabilities etc but wanted a garden for little one.

Not even that cheap?

Would you prefer in London for example, to pay £900 something for a 2 bed flat, as opposed to £1500-2k!!
Because I know what I would prefer.
And I know what people are paying for their council flats here.
There is also security, which we do not have in private accommodation.

Who do you think is subsidising the rent

as Someone who works in this area I can say this is incorrect. It’s a very damaging narrative, people in social housing are absolutely paying for their house and its upkeep and repairs.

Nobody is in ‘greater need’ than your average person in SH wanting to keep security of not being moved on by a landlord selling up…..I need that security thanks, so will stay

Law? No

if you claim housing benefit and you are under occupying then I think you lost £10 per extra room or something

i think many would just lose out on the benefit money and pay it to keep their homes. Nobody forcing them out

I guess because people assume it’s for people in need, and that they should move out when their situation changes. Obviously that doesn’t happen, but I don’t agree with lifetime tenancies, if your circumstances change, you should move aside for those with a greater need. People assume that happens, so are surprised to know you could be a millionaire and getting subsidised rent. Doesn’t seem right when there’s kids living in hotels.

@PluckyCheeksunless you have never ever ever relied on the state for anything which is blatantly untrue if you’re in the uk then you’re a hypocrite.

Well said. I agree completely with you.
That's what council housing and Housing Association houses should be for.
Right to Buy was a disaster. Councils never built enough houses to replace the ones sold off. That is why we have a housing crisis today.

The issue of social housing extends beyond the idea of ‘levelling up.’ It was originally intended to support those who work but earn low wages or those in need due to various circumstances. However, many families who now earn higher incomes continue to benefit from social housing, preventing much-needed redistribution to those facing real housing struggles. This approach is unsustainable. When combined with the Right to Buy scheme, which depletes available stock without adequate replacement, the result is a system where those who truly need housing are unable to access it.

*you’re

Yes I am. I have a strong sense of justice.

Wrong.

Used to, not anymore. All you can get is loans that you have to pay back, with interest.

Ask me how I know.

So your another one that essentially it boils down to you don't think they deserve a nice house that they should be happy with a shit box in the middle of nowhere

I thought they changed the law a few years back so if you had more bedrooms than you needed and didn't downsize, then you paid more rent. It was called a bedroom tax. They did up here in Scotland.
Our council offers money to help with moving expenses to free up 3 or 4 bedroom houses.

They don’t need to be kicked out on the street but they could be moved on from million pound properties in London.

For example, take a grim area like Toxteth and build maybe 20 blocks of 40 storey high flats. Anyone who doesn’t want to leave London can get a job and pay market rent. Those who don’t get to start new lives in the sunlit uplands of Toxteth. It’s not like they need to be in London to commute to a job, right? Rinse and repeat around the country. Two birds killed with one stone as it would help regenerate these areas.

And for those saying they can’t be ripped from the bosom of their communities…well, plenty low income families like mine will have to leave London soon to live in the armpit of nowhere, far from our families and friendship network, as we can’t afford anything else.

It is not about not wanting to pay more. It is about having a secure tenancy.
And also being allowed simple things like hanging pictures on the wall or having a different carpet.

Of course there are smaller properties that everyone’s parents could move to. They’re just private rent not council and they don’t want to pay more!

Every single thing in this country is subsidised. Everything.
it’s called big society.
I pay some taxes toward nurseries (no small kids )
I pay NI to NHS haven’t used it in years
I pay taxes toward elder care and residential homes - no elderly family.
I pay toward schools (no school age kids )
for years my taxes have provided tax breaks to private schools. I think they are abominable
we pay towards the roads on which self employed people drive their cars/vans
we pay towards bin men who clean up
we have paid for the education of the staff of the “I’m a self made man/woman” mob.
wr have paid for the health care of the same mob.
we pay taxes part of which go towards pharmacies and street sweepers and women’s aid shelters and play parks and libraries and swimming pools and housing association flats.

Ignore the bloody idiots and bigots. No doubt they are taking their own subsidies in some way.

I remember when it was fairly easy to apply for social housing. Ok, you wouldn't necessarily get anything fantastic but you were welcome to apply. In 2002, I found a flat with a housing association at the top of a tower block. It was fairly basic, but I had very little income at the time (due to some extenuating circumstances I won't bore everyone with) and it was perfect at the time. Great view too! I also felt confident to move to a private rent after a year because those rents were much more affordable.

I wouldn't dream of giving up my HA place now. It would be foolish.

But nowhere in the process of getting a social housing home is money or earnings mentioned? So why are you focusing on money?

it’s not about that….its about needing a home

when I applied for mine they didn’t ever enquire as to my financial details. It’s irrelevant. They haven’t asked since either….its a home with security. Who h money can’t buy

eben with a mortgage you are only months away from losing it to repossession.

Op I totally get it… there are people that in social housing that are pure class; however the ones that let them down for the others and their neighbours have rubbish piled up everywhere and and for some reason very easily agitated even though they have all day to tidy up but they don’t. My DH inspects list in Sh and most are lovely and normal but some are abusive, racist and aggressive despite their social housing… knee deep in dog shit then complain about breathing problems… and Muslims taking ‘their jobs’ and ‘homes’ I mean come on…. It’s a minority (hopefully) that do this stuff and it’s just a sense of entitlement. It’s not ok.
Just put the hoover round and tidy up! They have all day to do it!
There are plenty of pet in social housing that are lovely, civilised people, it’s so easy to be judgmental.
I totally understand x

Yep, that way of thinking will just put people off trying to better themselves.

So if people get a job, they lose their home?

I don't think that's going to work.

Yes it is but this is because the assumption is that if you have had the income to get a mortgage you will have savings . In any event the mortgagee does get help and yes its a loan, but they are being helped to buy an asset which benefits them long term, whereas a renter will never see the benefit of the money they put into the property