To feel embarrassed that we are so cushioned from austerity

[pouffepants]

because we live in social housing.

My rent is about £100 a week, for a 3 bed terraced house in a seaside village in the south east. We can easily pay this, and have 'plenty' of money to spare each week.

We can't however get anywhere near buying a house, because it's just too expensive, and we're also self-employed precariously so I doubt anyone would give us a mortgage.
So we should rent privately. Except our rent would then be £100-£150 more for a similar place per week. When I say we have plenty over, I certainly don't mean that sort of money.
So basically we can either stay put, taking up social housing that could be used for someone in need (as I once was), and saving/spending a couple of hundred a month. Or I can go private, where we would have to go to a cheaper area, change schools, cause problems for work, lose security and be utterly skint! (Like the rest of you)

The only conclusion is that my rent should be higher.

Save what you can while you can because when your children leave school you will be broke

No I don't, I've become somewhat sidetracked by people talking about mortgages because I don't know anything about them. It felt like lottery-winning conversations to be honest. I don't know anyone who owns their house, and kind of thought no-one under about 50 did anymore.

But I don't actually want to move, I just wanted a discussion about he unfairness of housing policy.

I just don't want to see her get her hopes up...although I'm still a it confused as to the point of the thread? (am trying to play ball though)

Why will I be broke when my kids leave school?

But if you pay more rent it won't make any difference to private renters will it? so I'm a little confused by your thread.

Yeah, fair enough. I do think its good to look at options though even if you end up doing nothing. We have had to do it in the past and am happy that we made the right choices for us as a family. Give you that bit of reassurance iyswim. :)

It might. If more people, that were able, paid a rent closer to market rent, then there would be more in the coffers to build more social housing, some of which could be subsidised depending on circumstances.

If they are able then they don't need HA

What a out means tested social rents? You pay what you can afford?

We can't cap earnings in social housing - you end up stigmatising and potentially ghettoising whole sections of community.

How about if private renting wasn't so expensive, would that help?

I don't know anyone who owns their house, and kind of thought no-one under about 50 did anymore

Really? Really?

Of course, and that's clearly the point I missed right at the beginning. private rent is crucifying people.

LST there are many people who get social housing due to great need, but later on earn much better, like me.

Yes really troll. The only people I know who own houses are my parents and probably their friends.

There are some people who seem quite wealthy at church, but I don't really know them, so don't know what sort of housing they live in.

A friend of mine and his gf bought their house at 23

Why will I be broke when my kids leave school?

I know a few families who have been fine for the last few years on a raft of CB, tax credits, EMA etc, and once the kids leave education it all STOPS.

And the kids can't find work, so suddenly they are a household of four adults on one crappy wage.

Ds is adamant he's not doing my poxy delivery work with me (plenty you can do on foot) so hopefully it'll be a good incentive to sort himself out with something,

Clearly easier said than done though!

I blame Maggie Thatcher for everything TBH.

Agree with TrollofTrollHall

If your income is topped up with tax credits, WTC, CB, child maintenance, as many families are, when the DC leave full time non advanced education, this income comes to an abrupt halt.

I was working full time with 1DC, and was getting working tax credit, child tax credit, child benefit and child maintenance as well as some housing benefit and council tax benefit.

DS left full time non advanced education and my income immediately dropped by £11400 per year!!

That dropped by a further £676 when DS got a part time job.

So it depends how much of your income is made up of tax credits/maintenance/CB etc.

Good God, that's a hell of a drop!

OK, point taken, we are topped up, but not by that extent certainly. Ds is 15, so changes are not far away, but my youngest is 5, so a while until they're all out of education.

Umm I don't want to worry you but I think you are a long long way from being cushioned in the long term.

I'm cushioned from austerity by being filthy rich. If I ever feel guilty, I just throw some stones at peasants from the window of my mansion. It cheers me up no end.
Maybe you could try that OP.

OP, I would make the most of your low rent and save as much money as you can. You say that you're self-employed precariously, the word precarious should be big clue there. I'm newly self employed and I'm constantly kacking my trollies about work drying up. I have become tighter than a gnat's chuff.

@ 'tighter than a gnats chuf'

may be shamelessly stolen