AIBU to hate the line "why should people on housing benefit live in homes that working people can't afford?"

[standupandbecounted]

"Why should people on housing benefit live in houses that working people could not afford?"

I keep seeing this line being thrown about in the media. Along with stories about families, usually with an average of eight kids, claiming a shocking level of housing benefit.The government is going to cap housing benefit to prevent this. Reasonable, but not the whole story.
A a less publicised proposal is to drop the level of Local Housing Allowance(LHA) from the 50th centile to the 30th centile.Local housing allowance is currently set at the median-middle value- of private rents in your local area. In my area the LHA is nowhere near the proposed cap. The maximum I can claim for a 2 bedroom property (I have 2 kids) is 126.92 per week. For a three bedroom it is £150 per week. Shelter have estimate that the average loss for a for a two bedroom tenant in my area will be £12 per week.( I assume this is based on predicted rent levels)
Loss per area here

I am renting a two bedroom flat for myself and two children, aged 18 months and 5. There is no outdoor space, it is not large and not in an exclusive area. The soundproofing is poor and the tenants upstairs are fond of partying way into the early hours. Hardly luxury housing that working people can't afford. I believe this myth about HB claimants living in the best properties does not represent the reality for the majority of us. I have tried to find somewhere better but most landlords will not take HB or children. I have put my name down on the waiting list for council housing but have been awarded thr lowest priority level. I will never get one with that banding.

The thing that upsets me most is the "working people" bit, a lot of HB claimants ARE working people! Housing benefit is also available to people who don't earn enough to cover their rent. Most low income people cannot access council housing anymore. They are forced to rent on the private market, where rents are to high to be affordable on low incomes. This is the case in most areas, not just London.

So, AIBU to feel angry that people on housing benefit are being misrepresented and subjected to unfair cuts?

Yes , I asked WHAT doesn't add up?

Don't think anyone else was thinking in terms of branding people, or having colour coded uniforms btw. Strange how some peoples minds work

When stories come up like this people say they either dont believe it or its very rare!

Well, its not, these are shocking stories that annoy all the hard working parents who are struggling to keep going. This women is a complete disgrace. Bit like the people who appear on J.Kyle! People say they are the exception but again you go to towns like Slough, Plymouth or Preston and they are all there.

Please dont say they dont have choices, you dont know what it is like. I do know, I was brought up by a single parent although my father did pay maintenance, at the time although he didnt want us living together he realised that he had responsiblities. These stories of men paying £5 per month or nothing at all should make our society hang its head in shame.

She gets 21k violethill

But you are right about the rest.However I do feel this detracts from the more deserving cases and the ones that are going to suffer from the HB cuts ind the ILF cuts. When do you see them in the papers.I didn't start this thread to defend people like her.

She gets 21K, but I think the previous poster was referring to the fact that someone working would have to earn 30K for the equivalent income.

GFR - She gets the equivalent of 30k gross.

In other words, if working people wanted the money coming into her household, which pays the rent/council tax/food/clothes etc, they would need to be earning 30 k per annum.

I have asked TSC several times now exactly HOW the figures don't add up, but I've a feeling I'm not going to get an answer!!

TSC - IMHO the hostels should be available to young girls (under 18) who have chosen to have a baby and neither the father or mother can support. If the girls family cannot take responisbility for their child's action then the only other option would be a hostel, with childcare, support, medical advice and training. Of course some of these girls wont want to be trained for a job or who want to live in a flat (paid for by us). Well tough - that is not what they get.

The options therefore are:

1. Live with their current family even if somewhat overcrowded. No options for applying for larger houses. I dont get a larger house paid for by someone else if I chose to have more children.

1. Move to a hostel with help and support but they have to show that they can contribute something too. At present it seems to be a one way street.

I'd love the Mail to run an article on the Father of those children, id like to hear his take on the situation.

I'd love to know why he's not paying the living costs of the children.

Alouiseg - you know - I think these fathers just dont care, they claim to have little money and clearly have no sense of responsibility.

I am wondering if they see it as some sort of status symbol. If they walk away nothing happens so why not do it. Cannot remember the young man who had 'fathered' 15 children and didnt work. Of course he was a waste of space - however what about all this stupid women who had his children. As women we can totally take responsibility for having a baby. Yet somehow we dont....

Agree rocky. I don't understand the snobbery from some posters about the concept of hostels. It can be a cost effective, supportive environment. Children need shelter, warmth, food, clothing. And love - ideally from both parents, but you can't put a price on that. I cant see why any reasonable person would object to your proposal rocky. But no doubt someone will be along in a minute to say, goodness, how unreasonable, these people might have to - shock horror- move away from their home town. I mean goodness, its not like working people do that is it?! Or maybe the kids wouldn't like having to share a bedroom with their siblings. Or they wouldn't like the colour of the walls or something.....

Violet - did laugh at the last comment about the colour of the walls!

Its a little like the voucher system for say food. Too embarassing, best to give the money then..

merry christmas indeed

But giving more and more money to the feckless who will spend it on themselves will not help these children. Not sure what the answer is tbh. But hostels where there is some control over what is spent and what on could be the answer...

The woman in the article says she took out a £1500 loan to fund Christmas and she has only just finished paying last year's loan for the same.

It doesn't really matter what she gets cash in her hand - the point is, she readily admits that it's not worth looking for a job because she'd have to earn at least £30k to have the same standard of living (and that doesn't include other extras like free school meals) and she is not remotely qualified or experienced in anything that might pay £30k. And then of course, she'd have to pay for her own child care, so she's be even worse off.

Yes rocky- why anyone who claims to have their children's interests at heart would turn their nose up at vouchers is beyond me. If my children were in danger of going hungry or cold, I would put their needs ahead of my own delicate feelings when it came to using a hostel or vouchers

There are 2 sides usual suspect, but one seems to get drowned out.

I LOVE vouchers and BOGOF offers.

Actually, I suspect that any reasonable, caring, responsible parent who has fallen on hard times would show no snobbery whatsoever about receiving vouchers. Its the feckless people who would put buying a packet of fags above their childrens need for a healthy meal who might have an issue with it.

We could always get around any stigma by paying child benefit in food vouchers, to everyone. There would be no argument either way then. Children would get food (unless their parents swapped them for drugs, fags or booze, but what can you do about those types of people?) low income families would find it easier to budget that way as well, but no-one would be any the wiser as to who was on benefits and who wasn't.

Hostels and food vouchers? jeez this place gets worse

Yes but you haven't actually said what's WRONG with hostels and food vouchers.
Easier to hide the thread I guess!

Will food vouchers pay the bills? How many placed will take them?

Have you stayed in a hostel? I'd advise you to read some of the earlier posts on those.