To think it is ridiculous that a woman with 11 kids is getting a £400,000 house for nowt

[angelos02]

Especially when most working people couldn't never afford to live somewhere costing that much?
Link: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2280385/Home-fit-dole-queen-Mother-11-gets-BRAND-NEW-400-000-house-built-council-shes-struggling-current-homes.html

On the wider issue:

Yes, it is a problem that council housing is only available to a minority and that it is sometimes better than housing available on the private market.

Yes, it can lead to a contradiction where very poor people who the council have a duty to house- end up living in housing that meets a good basic standard, whereas workers who "should" be better off are living in slum conditions in the private sector.

This is of course, caused by the selling off of council housing under Thatcher.

Council Housing was originally intended to be a widely available alternative to the private sector for working and lower middle class people. The availability of decent housing would not only be good for the tenants but would also act as competition for private landlords and (along with rent caps) and improve conditions for private tenants as well.

Stories like this are a measure of how much we have lost

I genuinely don't see why she needs an eleven bedroomed house, for one thing. Children can share rooms and surely you expect that to happen if you are having a family that size!

I think the other point that perhaps some people haven't thought of (I don't mean that accusingly either) is that there just isn't a limitless supply of money and some children, and elderly people, and ill people, will be missing out because of this woman's poor choices.

it has 6 bedrooms not 11

Secret It's only a 6 bedroom.

It's way too late to moan about this! The 11 children need adequate housing - that's the only issue.

Yes it's irresponsible to have that many children with no means of supporting them or housing them, but what do you suggest we do?

Start sterilising the poor - male and female - especially those with badly dyed hair?

Or take their children away from them? Hardly a cost-effective solution at a cost of around £2,000 per week per child.

tabulahrasa
"She gave birth at 14...he was 23, that's not a boyfriend, that's a paedophile.."

Actually its not a paedophile.

Oh For gooodness sake.

Clearly the children are following in their mothers footsteps as several are now adults and don;t work or have already had kids. It's hardly a leap of imagination to assume the rest of 'em won't be any different.

You want solutions? Here are mine :

1. Abolish ALL CB and provide free hot breakfasts and hot lunches for ALL school children.
2. Free nursery places for working parents run by the state, like schools.
3. Community work for anyone unemployed long term.
4. TC that are added to every hour you work so the more you work, the more you earn. Ensure that EVERY working person is better off than those not working.
5. Abolish income tax for those earning under 15K a year.
6. All the caps and welfare cuts currently being implemented.
7. Basic welfare that does not increase with more children, a bit like our salaries don't.

I'm so relieved to see this Govt. doing something about scroungers like this, at last!

But no, be resentful of someone without the same opportunities

What opportunities did she not get? The country provides free schooling, shelter and ensures children are not starving.

She did not avail of the opportunities available and chose to get pregnant multiple times. It is her choice and she should be held responsible for her decisions.

I think that she should be made to volunteer work, at the very least. Clean homes for the elderly who might need help. Remove litter from the streets in-between regular cleaning. Learn to give back to her community, for the housing and security provided to her children.

So, calculate how much it costs to house and feed 11 children. Translate that into working hours at minimum wage. And make her volunteer for that length of time. No free ride.

Apologies - I still think that's large!

Olgaga, I think there is probably a solution betwixt and between "sterilising the poor" and "not making it quite so easy to have large numbers of children you cannot pay for" !

I think if we go back to basics - very very basic needs for children, then what do they need? A home, certainly. A 6 bedroomed home? I don't think that is a need.

I would like to see the minimum wage raised so that it 'pays' people to work more. I would like to see more value placed on certain jobs. I would like some of the benefits currently only accessible to those on benefits raised to include those on a low income (FSM for example.)

I would like some benefits paid in vouchers to ensure that it goes towards what it was intended for - to feed/clothe children.

There's a start.

Benefits shoud be there to SUPPORT GENUINE people in need, NOT to sustain a lifestyle.

She chose this lifestyle so I have no sympathy for her. Her kids now have an increased likelihood of having similar values to the reckless mother and what is achieved? A vicious Circle of people sponging of the government. I hope her kids step up and do better than the parents.

AuntMaud: "I'm so relieved to see this Govt. doing something about scroungers like this, at last!"

Why? Your proposed solutions are waaayy more progressive than anything the torys are doing right now.

Free breakfasts and lunches? Increased Tax credits? Ha!

You realise that Tax Credits are taking a massive hit under the Welfare Reform Act?

So presumably you don't really want to see "all the caps and welfare cuts currently being implemented" then?

The problem with forcing people to "volunteer" is that it's an oxymoron.

so people who can't work shouldn;t have children or if they do they will be removed - or if you suddenly break your neck or get terminal cancer you will be on a bare minimum for survival and no more

people who claim housing benefit and people who live in social housing do work you know

there are more people unemployed than there are job currently - so what should those people do

what about providing free education rather than forcing people into community slavery - so people can gain the skills for work?

what community work should people do - that wont put people out of work?

the issue is far more complex than shouting 'get a job' at people - that is a hopelessly simplistic stance

Wow.

I was lurking on MN having been away for a bit, and deliberating whether to come back (no I don't expect anyone to give a shiny shite).

Then I read this thread. Someone actually posts a Daily Mail link and loads of people pile in agreeing like its the Daily Mail comments page.

And there's the thread with someone chucking the word retarded around.

What has happened to MN , it's gorn to the dogs. ([wink]@scottishmummy)

Fanjo! I was wondering where you had went last night.

Lockets - there are jobs. They may not be jobs that people desperately want, but they are there.

That said I do realise the economic climate isn't easy at the moment and I really do have nothing but sympathy and compassion for people made redundant or who are looking for work - it's awful. However, there is a big difference between them and people like the woman depicted in this article!

Like I said earlier in the thread, I know a lot of people like this - not as extreme, but long term benefit claimants. They aren't "scroungers" exactly, they claim what they're entitled to. The problem is that what they are entitled to is really rather generous!

AuntMaud. I'm a bleeding heart liberal, but I really like your policies. (Except 6 - I know of several families with both parents working, who are suffering through losing tax credits which take them just over the £26K threshold).

Secret Most of the available jobs are commission based and work out way less than NMW.

All new social housing has to meet eco criteria.

She didn't get pregnant on her own.

Schro - round here there are a lot of jobs available in nursing homes, in factories, and so on. OK, they aren't great jobs but they are there. Commission jobs are crap I agree.

I like AuntMaud's policies :)

dashoflime all education IS free .
The tax credits are being cut to non full time workers, which I agree with if you read. You only get a top up of TC if you work, in my plan.

I do wonder how millions of eager and hard working immigrants are finding work all the time when there are no jobs?

I don't understand why the grandchildren are living with them when they are struggling for space? Surely the 21 year should have moved out with her off spring? I am relieved that she can't have more children although (may not be true as quoted in Daily Fail) she says that she would have more if she could. Best thing that can happen is the adult children and their children leave home, get jobs and support themselves. That would be 5 less people needing accommodation in this six bedroom luxury home.

www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/feb/06/unemployment-vacancies-ratio

Secret My DP would happily work in any of those jobs and even has experience in factories and a couple of forklift licenses. He really cannot get a job, he applies to hundreds and goes to the JC courses.

His SIA license ran out a while ago and the JC are refusing to help fund it, it's £240. If he had that he would get a job easily and the government would save money. Weird system.