To think that if your answer to complaining about Bedroom Tax is "get a smaller house", you are a bit thick?

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Where IS this glut of smaller properties, just waiting to be filled by people being stung by the bedroom tax?

TWICE today I have heard supposedly intelligent people say "Well if they don't want to pay the bedroom tax, they need to move to a smaller house."

Fucking depressing. I think it earmarks you as being a bit hard of thinking if that is your solution. :(

I have worked while in council housing. The reason I got this place is because I couldn't afford anything like this locally but DS's needs meant I needed ground floor accommodation.

That's it....the reason I qualified was a disabled child.

I am currently his Carer and now get HB but at least my HB is not £800 a month lining the pockets of a buy to let landlord.

My friend was in a 3 bed (with separate dining so could be a 4 bed). He only has his kids at weekends now and because of this new rule decided to downsize.

Getting a 2 bed was impossible for him, even with a 3/4 bed to swap, he decided to move into private let. He was lucky he could afford to.

This all happened in the last 3 months... in the Flintshire/Cheshire housing area.

I was naive enough to think housing was a London problem.

I didn't answer her because it is a ridiculous question! Nobody need be forced into abortion there is plenty of ways to control breeding before it gets to that. I would suggest that she stops breeding now and gets her children out of unsuitable conditions rather than sits around waiting for the council to do it for her though.

hawk housing associations set their own rents....they are an independent business. nothing to do with the government or state or anyone but themselves!

I think the scarcity of social housing has drive up private rents tbh. When I was a landlord the rent was £500 a month and covered the mortgage and council tax payment plus the fee to the letting agent.

Now I see the same places renting for upwards of £700 a month....two bed flats. Of course mortgages have equally gone up so it might still only cover costs.

The HA owns my house, as far as I am aware the Govt doesn't give the HA anything for it now....maybe they helped in building it (I don't know) but once it is paid for then rent must be pure profit after that...minus any maintainance costs

Really? Ok... So how do you get a ha home? If I fell on hard times, how would I pay for a ha flat? If the council "had" to house me for whatever reason would that be separate from housing associations?

you apply....like anyone else. fill in the forms.

HA's do get some Govt aubsidies to build homes though. I think the rent covers repayments and maintainance.

Sme info here about how it all works.

Yes, but who pays for my rent if I'm not working for whatever reason?

In MY case hawk, I was referred to the HA by the council. In some areas you can apply direct I believe but it seems to vary from HA to HA.

Thanks jake

It just shows how little I know because I'm not in the system and never have been. It's alien to me.

If you meet the criteria for HB then you would pay your rent with HB or via Universal Credit if you are I. A trial area.

It seems like people have so much knowledge based on years of experience. So for me, with almost no experience, it's all Greek. I wouldn't have a clue who to call, where to get forms etc. CAB I guess!

Yes but you could be in exactly the same financial situation cause by say, redundancy and the one in a council property gets HB yet the one with the mortgage does not. How is their need any less at that given time?

or,and this might finish you off,HB will pay the interest on your MORTGAGE for you! depends if your a 'homeowner' or renter....the bank oe your LL will get the money,or a portion of it,that way

so anyone....in any kind of accomadation,would be entitled to HB.....not just those in social housing

marykatherine you are wrong

I would say far better to help the family with their mortgage for 6mths so their house isn't repossessed and they don't become yet another family in need of housing by the state. Surely that's reasonable.

I just don't get why, if we have a fair system that someone who has paid tax for many years then finds themselves in trouble though redundancy is not entitled to help. Yet other families are given help ad nauseum.

I hope this isn't really inflammatory... But is it ever ok to claim anything from the state long term? Unless its a pension, you're ill, caring for someone.

Isn't it the ideal to try to be 100% reliant on your own income rather than claim any type of benefit?

Having just had a quick look, I'm probably entitled to working tax credits but it would feel weird to claim. I'm not rich but I'm able to feed, clothe and educate my family. So I'd feel really guilty claiming anything from the state - even if I'm "entitled".

I just don't understand the mindset - benefits being a way of life, even for people who work full time.

About which bit? Genuine question as my last post is based on someone I know very well who ended up losing their house.

The falling on hard times and temp accomodation argument is a different issue - the discussion was about CHOOSING to have more children when you are ALREADY in an overcrowded property with no concrete plan to get yourself into a suitable sized property to accommodate the new child.

I totally support people being given help when they fall on hard times due to unfortunate circumstances beyond their control and I often feel not enough help is given in these circumstances. But I am totally against people being given help when they create a bad situation for themselves purposefully.

Good point soulsister - does that mean that they will reduce the repayments on people's interest mortgage benefit payments as well @ £30 per room?

It's a nuts system. There should be no such thing as council housing - a fairer rental market would ensure that the rich aren't subsidised by the poor.

'other families'may pay tax also......people in social housing do work you know!!!

and mortgage help is given!!!

To be clear, as I said up thread, I'd like to see more help for the very vulnerable. Older people, people who are ill and carers especially. Much more.

My friend and his wife were not given help. They struggled to continue to pay their mortgage and other commitments for the year he was out of work and they ended up having to sell their home.

So you're saying that they will apply same rules to mortgage?

more help in what way?