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?

Fairyjen, I quite understand.

Get your brother to do it.

Take that back.

Can't recommend DV on here. Even in jest.

I think the government are talking about single people not people with families

Oh then there is my other sil who works but has her dh claim benefits as a single dad and they live with his mum all undeclared so they are raking it in! How fuck is that fair!?!

Dp reported them for benefit fraud but fuck all was done about it work that one out

theroseofwait so you are comfortable with seeing children being made homeless then?

It's my dp's two sisters I'm referring to grovel I think he is scared of being squashed as well!

Apologies for implicating your family.

Crinkle77 there has been no talk of excluding families.

This has been reported as including families.

auf but if the parents of those children are responsible they won't allow it to happen - I would be out scrubbing loos to put a roof over my childrens' heads, whay can't others?

Why, even. .

I don't for a second think I'm suddenly going to be stepping over homeless children during the school run btw however if that did happen it would fall on me and every other member of my profession to deal with this.

I still agree hb should be cut for under 25 tho. Someone said it earlier in thread but older generations stayed at home etc and waited till they had children so they were not a burden on the hard workers of this country!

I also think it is absurd to say that Tory voters should feel personally responsible. Maybe we should hold all Labour voters responsible for the recession, the war in Iraq etc...

grovel no worries

Well I voted for Labour and was let down by the wars and killing that I dd not vote for. I voted Tory last time, in the hope they could help the economy by creating industry, not penalising the poor. If I'd have voted Lib Dem I'd be furious by the Uni fees U turn....

As my Dad said they are all a shower of crooks in it for personal gain. It makes me very depressed.

So no OP I won't feel responsible, but I will consider my vote carefully next time.

Homeless is an interesting word too, it's often used to cover situations like people living in B&B accommodation, which while it may not be ideal, especially for families, is hardly the same as starving on the streets.

OneMoreChap - take a look at this thread, most people who are tory do feel that those who aren't in a similar position to them (clearly financially stable) are irresponsible, lazy even. i don't understand people that vote tory, the only thing i can think is that they are fairly well off and don't need to worry about a safety net.

i work bloody hard, i am trying to provide for my child as best as i can. i certainly don't sponge all kinds from this state, but i do rely on a small amount of tax credits. it won't be forever, my child will be in school eventually and i can work more hours. this twatty government is going to make my life hell with UC. i don't know how anyone could want a government who could do this to people working hard and doing the best that they can.

I second Grovel

I try hard to not to go all Daily Mail about it but at work I frequently hear people talk about not wanting more hours because it would just come off their benefits or others who wanted more hours when the rules changed a while back from 18 hours to 24 hours to qualify for WTC but NO WAY did they want say 28 hours because why would they when they only needed 24 to qualify

Ephiny I will repeat one of my earlier posts for your benefit. Please take the time to read it.

Homelessness has a great effect on a child's health and well-being, even if they're not actually on the streets, but in temporary accommodation.

The following is taken from an article on the Shelter website (and is all properly sourced and based on evidence).

If you vote Tory, you're voting for more of this. Not maybe. Definitely. ...

The impact of homelessness on children

A study undertaken in Birmingham found that 40 per cent of the homeless children studied were still suffering mental and developmental problems one year after being rehoused.

Effects on health

• Poor housing conditions increase the risk of severe ill-health or disability by up to 25 per cent during childhood and early adulthood.
• Children in bad housing are almost twice as likely to suffer from poor health as other children.

Effects on education

• Two thirds of respondents to a Shelter survey among homeless households living in temporary accommodation said their children had problems at school.
• Children living in bad housing are nearly twice as likely as other children to leave school without any GCSEs.

Effects on emotional well-being

• Homeless children never know where they will be moved to next and many develop anxiety, depression and behavioural problems along the way. Children living in cramped accommodation can experience hyperactivity, aggression, bedwetting, soiling and disturbed sleep patterns.

• Nearly half of respondents to a Shelter survey on temporary accommodation described their children as ?often unhappy or depressed?.

• Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are three times as common among homeless children who have lived in temporary accommodation for more than a year.

• Homeless children have six times as many speech and stammering problems compared with non-homeless children.

Effects on life chances

• Evidence suggests that homeless children tend to have lower academic achievements which can increase the likelihood of insecure or low-paid jobs or unemployment in the future.

• Long-term health problems affect employment opportunities later in life.

• With all these obstacles pitted against them during their formative years, children growing up in bad housing often spend the rest of their lives struggling to catch up. Evidence also suggests that those who suffer bad housing run an increased risk of homelessness in adulthood.

*hard working people who are doing the best they can.

I hope all tory voters are ashamed of themselves too. Its not like society isn't aware of their usual policies. They all include making the poor poorer and the rich richer. I learned this when Thatcher came in, was only a child but understood.

No excuse for voting tory, except I'm ok Jack. Couldn't give a shit about anybody else attitude

Sorry article england.shelter.org.uk/campaigns/why_we_campaign/tackling_homelessness/what_is_homelessness_like

Because peppermint you appear to be in a minority. There is a big difference between people who work and then lose job and need benefits etc and some who starts signing on at 16/17/18 yrs and getting council accommodation. Why? What the fuck have they done to earn it or contribute to society? Things were not handed to me on a platter. I moved out age 16 I then went back home when could not afford rent rather than go council.

I don't understand why there is a generation of youths who expect and want something for nothing! Bollocks to them I say!

I'll try again! This article

It's OK, aufaniae, I read it the first time. Thanks anyway though.

london-I'm back, i knew it wouldn't be long before aspersions were cast about why people to choose to have a family.
Yes i did & do get tax credits, so thats scrounging now is it?-well if my dh has worked for 11 f*ing years why shouldn't we get something back from all the tax he has bloody paid!
Oh and my children were very much wanted thankyou very much and were concieved when he was working actually!
We were doing ok until he was made redundant, so are you saying i shouldn't have started a family because we needed a tax credits??-if you are it's a pathetic thing to say!
Like i said i don't have a crystal ball and neither does anyone else do they?, when they decide to create a life?

And if i did accidently fall pregnant, which can and does happen to a lot of women you think we should all terminate on the basis of being reliant on tax creds?-bloody charming!
Reasons for me to ever have a terminatiob would not be for such a shallow reason