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.

Someone is gifting you £200 a month and you are putting £2500 a month in the bank? You have £200 left to spend?

Can you please explain yourself...

£2500 a year savings is not much for a self employed person TBH.

What a bizarre thread.

Keep saving and eventually you will be able to afford to buy a place (hopefully).

When I was growing up the majority of families living in social housing were ordinary working families who couldn't quite afford to get on the housing ladder.

My rent is £100 a week.
I save about £50 a week.
Therefore save approx £2500 a year.
I would need at least another £5k to go private and get a shittier place.

Sorry, bad communication on my part.

Is that a really bad thought out wind up OP

so give you 50 quid a week away then you will be skint and happy

£100 a week is £5200 a year....

I've just looked and I was right, there are various proposals to increase rent to 80 percent of market rate, some as a blanket and some for people with above a certain income, which would potentially take you up to £160, so be careful what you are wishing for.

Got you now re the savings bit sorry.

The OP's rent is £100 a week so £400 a month. I'm not sure where £2500 comes in to it though.

Most people round my area inc me pay 80% of the market value already.

It won't take long.

OH i read a month

Will someone please understand that I'm certainly not looking for sympathy and give me a conversation about the rights and wrongs of people being saved large amounts of living costs by living in social housing.

IMO the jump between social and private rent is too big, meaning that although I can't afford to think of other housing options i gain in real terms £5k's worth of housing savings per year. That's a lot, even though I would struggle to actually pay it.

Oh - a year not a month

Well it's not a lot if your income is precarious as you say yours is. I would say you need that little safety net. And it is little. If you lose your income it will not last you long - perhaps 2 months?

I woldn't feel guilty if I were you

So you think people who live in social housing should have fuck all then?

Oh, it'd be a kick in the teeth if our rent went up loads, but actually I think that's what SHOULD happen, and you won't catch me complaining.

Is that happening anyway?

I was told it was only new tenancies.

I hope that doest happen Rhonda. we are on about 21k year with 2 adults amd 2 kuds in a tiny 2 bed ha flat in the south east, if it went up to 80% we would have £250 a month for council tax, water, electric, food and all other costs.
Council tax alone is £115 a month

We would be fucked

Righty [ConfUsed]

So why start a thread? Am still at a loss to your point

Very odd thread

But the whole point of social housing is that people who can't afford to rent privately have a place to live. What's wrong is that there isn't enough to go round not that you have it.

They should walk round in rags eating scraps to justify paying a lower rent?

It took us 18 yrs and job moves to save to buy a house and we did have money left over from social housing rent , social housing is there for people who need it and if you get a council house pay your rent and stop moaning social housing isnt just for ,,,,,, I dunno who you think social housing is for i am guess poor people ,

But you arent actually saving 5k because you don't have that 5k a year - therefore your social housing is actually fulfilling it purpose of making sure people who don't have other options aren't taken advantage of and have safe fit for purpose housing???

I'd be very careful if we are now going to get into a "should people receiving state support be able to have savings?" debate - which seems to be your point - that is you can afford to put away money you shouldn't have subsidised housing.