High joint income and in social housing with no plans to buy. Celebrate or selfish?

[SocialHousedNHappy]

I’ve been wondering about for some time and completely understand the dire and desperate situation that many people and families find themselves in. But… I hate the way that social housing is seen as only for the most desperate, when it was introduced as a housing option for all.

My household brings in a healthy income and we pay less than 10% to our monthly rent. This means we get enjoy a modest lifestyle and put some money aside for adult DC for when they’re older - they can then choose to buy whatever they fancy, car, house deposit, uni, whatever as will be their choice.

I hate that people seem to think that I should give up my secure tenancy and move into private rent. Looking on rightmove, a comparable house would be around 3x what I’m currently paying in rent, and to be honest, I wouldn’t move to private rented ever again. But why do people react as thought I’m doing something wrong, in the same way as they think of benefit cheats? I think the govt should be put under pressure to build more social housing - proper social housing, rather than the current situation where people are pit against each other and blaming each other for what is clearly a government failing.

I don’t want to sound like I’m gloating, because I’m not, but I don’t see why I should feel bad and not celebrate the life and comfort that my social housing has allowed me to enjoy.

I’m genuinely interested to hear if anyone agrees and feels the same.

I don’t hate anyone. I just disagree that caring for a family member means you should automatically get to live indefinitely in their social housing when they pass away.

They arent being offered a smaller property in a lot of cases. Do you have trouble with comprehension because im sure my post read as a suggestion.

Or is this more gaslighting

I would be very interested to know if you also think that a parent should be billed for bedroom tax right away if a child dies.

You said ‘They could try not to evict them within a fortnight and offer them a smaller property.’

I read this as you disapprove of them being evicted in a fortnight and being offered a smaller property because that’s literally what you said.

As for the bedroom tax no. I think that should be a special exception. But not for parents as I see the death of a parent and a child as very different.

Wow Another one for the child free board,

How many elderly people pass away in their social housing versus children? It wouldn’t strangle the system to allow families to remain in their social houses without a tax because their child dies. It would strangle the system if every person who cared for an elderly parent was entitled to take over the house upon their parents death. Plus many elderly people live in sheltered housing which is in short supply. Would it be fair to let a 50 year old move in and take up one of the flats?

And AGAIN as long as they get allocated a smaller property there isnt a problem. its them being evicted and made homeless im objecting to.

DH is 73 Im 50 What do you think should happen to me if we were living in a SH bungalow and he passes away

I would think you should be offered somewhere appropriate for your needs at the time. Not necessarily where you are living if you don’t need that and others on the list do.

I don’t know what happens in practice.

No, they are being charged the Market rate for a service.

Fair enough @IGotItFromAgnes Thats exactly what i was saying

I said that as well.

Would that be the case when both of you don't require "sheltered" housing?

DH is disabled which i have already mentioned on the thread. But we have been dragging our heels on trying to get a bungalow precisely because of the risk of this scenario.

My elderly mother is renting privately. She faces a rent increase of more than 25 per cent, which she can’t afford. Her current rent already leaves her with less than £10 a day to live on. She has registered for social housing but there are at least 50 or 60 people ahead of her in the queue for every flat she bids on. Meanwhile her mental health is deteriorating because she fears eviction. Do you really not see how people like you could be part of her problem, OP?

Selfish. Really selfish. You’re accepting a hand out you don’t need when there are 123,000 homeless children in the UK right now and young adults with no hope of getting on the housing ladder. You’re looking after you and yours - fine, I get it. But on the back of taxpayers’ money and at the expense of people that genuinely need the help?

Do you really need to ask the question?

There are plenty of things that are legal but not moral. Take your seat at the table with Amazon and Starbucks, for gaming the system to suit you and having a nice little brag about it. Crank that heating up to 23 and get another goose in for Christmas - you can afford it!

Yes, the air is thin up here on my high horse. But honestly.

@SocialHousedNHappy your title in particular is inflammatory and there to create a reaction.

You don’t gave a high wage if you have a council house.
You go on about how you can build savings (but I assume you’re also on UC so it can’t be more than £16k as a couple so not a lot).

All that to then say you are happy there and won’t move despite ‘many people’ telling you it’s not fair. And how amazing it is to be ‘rolling in it’

Not surprising its getting people’s back up.

And this is even more if a poor taste in a climate if CoL crisis, some people waiting years and years to get a council house and ending homeless/living in temporary accommodation etc etc….

Be smug about the fact you are safe and know you will always have a-roof over your head. AT HOME.

Dint come and gloat about it. It’s very poor taste

I am sorry but I do think it is wrong in the current circumstances. Legally there may not be anything wrong being in social housing if you could afford not to be. But morally I do think it is questionable.

Forgive my ignorance but I thought you had to qualify for social housing so it’s means tested? So once you have access to social housing that’s if for life with no further assessment? Honestly doesn’t really seem fair to me.

I have never been eligible for social housing and before we bought our rent was 50% of our income. To only be paying 10% sounds crazy

Selfish

Incredibly selfish. Social housing is for people in genuine need. Incredibly entitled to think that all those who are paying 3x more than you in rent should be subsidising your lifestyle. You are literally taking from the poor to become rich. Total ick!

You are saving to provide for the next generation. Your DC will have less debt and a good start in life which your lower rent is allowing you to do. Carry on! 😊

I have been vulnerable housed for 12 years (in a coercive relationship ) then bravely became a single parent for 7 of those.
I have been on the social housing list in my area for 12 years, without a single offer. My husband is now disabled.
I'd love to have the opportunity to reduce my rent outgoings and be able to save for my almost adult children. I work very hard and am well educated. There is a chronic shortage of social accomodation in our area.
Whilst I am very happy for you, with your rent being less than 10 % of your income, I am desperately jealous. I will soon have to downsize to make my teenage children homeless as I cannot afford the rent here once the child maintenance ends in July.
I'm not looking for sympathy, just putting another view here. I do feel that social housing should be available for those in the most need. Having had and lost a mortgage due to my ex husband, Then found myself in private rental at the bottom of the market but still impossibly expensive, having moved to a cheaper place to live, I can assure you that I have lived in both ends of the housing market. I hope that one day there will be enough social housing for all those who need it.

@BristolBetty surely your elderly mother wouldnt get OPS HOUSE anyway even if OP gave it up. I thought MNers were all for the elderly future proofing apart from when they can use them as a tool to have a go at someone in social housing so surely she should be looking at a bungalow sheltered housing or a ground floor flat

My DH is 73, disabled and we live in a one bedroom flat on the second level so there are stairs up to our flat which he just about manages. If we ended up with a house (fucking unlikely) there would have to be a stairlift put in.