if you voted for the Tories, you should feel personally responsible when you see homeless people on the streets ...

[aufaniae]

...once their policies start to bite.

They want to removing housing benefit for under 25s, many of whom have children. Just one of their policies which will drive people into homelessness.

I thought this was meant to be a civilised country. If the safety net is removed, many people including children will fall through it, some of them ending up on the streets.

How can anyone support that?

London getting housing benefit is hardly quick! You really haven't got a clue.

My friend is not entitled to housing benefit, nor does she have anything against staying at a friends temporarily, you are missing the point. Whether she ends up staying with friends for a while or not (and she may well do this) she will need a home eventually!

My point was simply that it is hard to find shared accommodation in London.

I was right on the lack of empathy and compassion though.

Where did I make a wild generalisation? I spoke about my subjective experience.

london I would give up if I were you. Basic values and work ethic seem to have no place in this discussion.

And?? Of course some things are hard, are we now saying no one should do anything that is hard? I originally posted in response to sash who suggested that a young person temporarily on minimum wage in lOndon would be unable to survive without housing benefit. You chose to bring up your mate.

A woman that has never experienced pregnancy obviously

Yes it woukd be correct that I don't feel a huge amount of compassion for the suffering of someone who may need to spend a few weeks or months sleeping on a sofa

Do you really need everything spelling out to you?

OK.

1. Not everyone who has housing benefit withdrawn will be able to find a job (There are not enough jobs to go around. It's simply maths)

1. Not all those who find a job will paid enough to cover rent

1. It is hard to find affordable accommodation in London.

This will equal homelessness for many.

pumpkin I think that's unfair you know nothing about her or if she has had dc or mc or anything

Oooh sweetie, again with the wild guesses.

Fairy, it may be unfair but she generalised about me last night so there is absolutely no difference.

london But you are yet to answer the question, are you a mother or have you ever been one?

1. Some of the people made homeless will have children with them. It is this that I find absolutely, totally unacceptable, and which the government will absolutely be to blame for as it is they who are changing the rules.

To try and steer this thread to a more sensible discussion rather than a witch hunt, where would you recoup the money from then?

The elderly? The infirm?

Can you imagine and entire family sleeping on a SOFA-of course thats really acceptable!
And thats if they have willing friends and family that will put them up or have the space !

You.

I love the fact that people throw the war in Labour voters faces. The Tories voted for it too. Only ones who didn't were Lib Dems so that should be put to one side.

I don't think Tories have personal responsibility for voting last time. But next time us.

Because under 25s have had their right to education reduced, their benefits slashed and now won't have access to a home if they are out of work.

This includes young people coming out of the care system. They will have no access to housing benefits and therefore won't have a home.

So when we see a large number of young people on our streets again like we did in the eighties (40% increase of street homelessness already since change of Govt) I don't expect people to think, this is my fault because I voted Tory, but I do expect them to think, this is horrendous and sad and I will not vote Tory again..

Because if you don't care that an 18 year old is on the streets with all the horrendous things that can happen to them there is something seriously wrong with you.

That reply was to Fairyjen. I would recoup the money from you.

That's what you're worried about, isn't it; might as well say it out loud. If they don't take it off poor people they might start hammering the rich.

Witchhunt, maybe you could read the whole thread and realise it wasn't me hunting last night

Rowanhart - excellent points. And not only will they not have access to a home if they're not working - they won't have access to one if they are working but just not earning very much money - which is of course the situation for the majority of housing benefit claimants. They aren't unemployed, they just can't afford rent because of the bloody so-called 'house price boom'.

I would like to see some plans for job creation and getting the economy going for a start.

I fail to see how slashing the welfare bill to the point of making children homeless will help this country? That's not a plan for recovery! Borrowing is going up. Cameron and Osbournes plans are failing by their own measures yet they're simply dishing out more of the same.

Where are the plans for recovery?

If people aren't spending because we're all worried about money then the economy will continue to suffer.

Their policies make no sense - the extension of workfare for example will mean there are fewer jobs available as companies use workfare to get stuff done which they would have had to pay people for.

The only plan they seem to have is to erode workers rights to make us able to compete with countries with terrible records on employment and human rights. That should not be something to aspire to! It totally lacks any imagination and is dragging this country to ruin - and all of us with it, IMO.

wall for the last time. I AM NOT RICH! My dp and me make many sacrifices to provide a certain standard of living for our children. We cannot afford to get married, but a house etc. not been on holiday in 7 yrs! My dd has never had a proper holiday! Why? Because we put money aside for if/ when one of us is without work. We live in London (recently moved) and yes the rent is stupidly high however we are not taking benefits. We do without.

So target the rich if you want because I'm not in that demographic!

Most of the rents in my area are between £750 & £900. Minimum wage brings in around £212 a week, which is £848 a month-Do the math, it is not enough to live off, hence the reason most people need hb top-ops & tax credits.
If the mw was up to living standards, and the government MADE these companies pay a decent wage there wouldn't be a need for tax credits, but the government has never in my life time actually done anything about this problem which is at the root of everything.
Rent should be more affordable, £750 is not affordable

Actually pumpkin you chose to post details about your situation in order to try and sure up your own argument. I haven't chosen to used own life as an example.

Still haven't answered my question london.

Pumpkin - I agree with you that the minimum wage should be a living wage but the main reason that it isn't is because of the cost of housing. The average house now costs seven times the average salary. That is just insane.