Social housing and Syrian Refugees

[Plentymoresharks]

Controversial one. A memo has gone out from the local council to local residents, asking whether anyone has a property they can offer for Syrian refugees, housing benefit will be paid as well as a premium and money to hold the property until it is occupied, money for decorating and repairing the property etc.

Aibu to find it ridiculous that basically the council will be housing refugees who have been flown around the world ahead of people already on the waiting list for social housing? Also, there are homeless people who I see every day, living in the park and under a car park bridge but they aren't getting this same help (the memo mentions the social and medical help the refugees will also be given).

So we will in future have a concrete country? That doesn't sound like somewhere I want to live.

So we will in future have a concrete country? That doesn't sound like somewhere I want to live.

you have to stop sometime, of course. an article a few years ago listed the amount of "urban land" (which includes rural land) at under 7%, and in england that number sky rockets to 11%. we might face a serious problem in the future when that number creeps to 30% (but I doubt it), but we are facing a housing problem NOW.

it can be done. Istanbul has taken more people (a city, not a country, mind) than the whole of the uk

there isn't the will, and I can appreciate that. Ultimately people don't see it as anything to do with them.

Oh I agree it can and should be done.

The trouble is that the housing crisis has poisoned everything. There is a strong anti-immigrant feeling here right now (though distinctly not racist). I just don't see people here buying it without some relief in the housing situation.

You are splitting hairs. Whether a house on average costs $500000 or $600000 it is still beyond the affordability of most

if you don't think a 20% price difference is important, then that's just odd. Also, the difference between Toronto and London is huge.

I think it's more that they've decided to not be inhumane crapbags. They are aiming to take the numbers the uk has pledged by the new year (in contrast to over 5 years it will take for the uk to accomplish this)

I'll be the first to admit that canada is unusually welcoming of immigrants, and it's a welcome contrast to my own country (US, but I now live in the UK). But Canadians are too smug about it, and a lot has to do with the situation canada is in. Canada is far from war zones, and unlike the US does not border mexico. While I agree with your stance on taking in more migrants, there are real problems that need to be addressed so it can be done well. The UK isn't as good as absorbing immigrants as Canada is (or even as good as the US), so it needs to be done with some care.

I am sure you will have lots of valid justification why the uk should be selling arms, bombing nations then slamming doors closed to refugees

you don't know a thing about me. I opposed all the wars, from the start, and can't stand our arms industry (in the UK or the US). I don't need your blessings. I happen to live in the city that's going to have to deal with this influx of people and it's already overflowing with people not being able to find housing. The problem is that well well before the migrant crisis we already had a housing crisis.

Yes, if you are on a low wage, that extra 100 000 in house price really makes the difference - it moves owning a home from impossible to um...even more impossible?

maybe you know a lot of people for whom a house costing half a million dollars is no big deal. where I am from, that kind of money is beyond most people. if you convert dollars to pounds, it isn't as much, but silly Canadians are being paid in dollars, not pounds, and price all their goods accordingly. It will feel as expensive to them as a half a million pound house would to a care home assistant here, or a teacher, or someone in a call centre. Unless they already are on the property ladder, it's out of reach.

you have given many reasons why the uk cannot accept refugees- there is no housing, people are anti immigrant, the uk is bad at absorbing immigrants, other countries have it easier, etc etc.

bizarrely, the fact that other countries are managing to do what you claim is impossible for the uk is offered up of further proof of just how impossible it is for the uk. I am powerless against your circular logic. Luckily, the uk government agrees with you, so you won't have to worry too much about having refugees inflicted on you.

Yes, if you are on a low wage, that extra 100 000 in house price really makes the difference - it moves owning a home from impossible to um...even more impossible?

and if you are on a medium low wage, it makes the difference between possible and impossible. and that's a much bigger chunk of people.

but no matter how you spin it, 20% is a lot and will make a difference to a lot of people.

if you convert dollars to pounds, it isn't as much, but silly Canadians are being paid in dollars, not pounds, and price all their goods accordingly.

you do know we don't get paid the same number of pounds here as you do dollars there, right? Canada has had consistently higher average wage (PPP wise, so both normalized to the USD) than the UK has for years. This may have recently changed on account of the recent dollar/oil problems you are having, but it's been much higher as recently as 2012.

bizarrely, the fact that other countries are managing to do what you claim is impossible for the uk is offered up of further proof of just how impossible it is for the uk. I am powerless against your circular logic.

Bizarrely, i made no claim of the kind. My claim is that countries are different and have different circumstances. Berlin, for example, has incredibly low rents. Sweden may have taken too many too quickly, with the right wing xenophobic parties now polling very well.

I am recognizing that different countries have different problems. It sounds like you are sitting in Canada and think the EU is one homogeneous mass. it isn't.

Can you actually read?

I'm not going to bother to read the whole thread but it must be pointed out that this is not "social housing" its asking private landlords to keep property empty ready for refugees at the government's expense. No queue jumping, no one has to wait too long for HB...

Muppet.

I'm not going to bother to read the whole thread but it must be pointed out that this is not "social housing" its asking private landlords to keep property empty ready for refugees at the government's expense.

is that directed at me? well, thankfully, there is a plenty of under occupied spacious private rentals out there just waiting to be taken. you'd think LLs would lower their rents with all these empty properties.

No it wasn't. It was just stating that the memo linked to wasn't actually to do with social housing it was aimed at private landlords who may have empty properties, and there are some who will have empty properties, to keep them empty whilst being paid for in order to recieve 50 refugees.

The whole premis of the thread is wrong, social housing is housing provided directly by the governent or non profit organisations.

The person posting then started to get their knickers in a twist about waiting lists, meaning they don't understand it at all. You can get HB for a private rental whilst waiting for a council operated property.

Are you kidding me? They've just gone and pulled down half of south london to rebuild it to provide luxury apartments for those who can afford to buy instead of rebuilding social housing!!!! All along the river is now luxury apartments no bloody social housing. Also a huge green area in brixton has been built up for , yes you've guessed, more luxury apartments! These refugees have come from having entire towns blown to hell using our taxes and you're bothered about the council paying London rent rates.

We have taken some to the Isle of Bute where there is always a shortage of young people and many of those rural Scottish schools with only a few handful of pupils really do need more pupils but and it's a big but that has a massive impact. My son (not on Bute) is the only white boy in his class. That is not a huge issue for me otherwise he wouldn't be at the school but it has a big impact - as if we had moved abroad without leaving. Very difficult issues of spreading people around the UK.

The bigger issue the press ignores is visa over stayers which is a much bigger problem than people sneaking in from Calais.

The main reason people leave Bute and similar Scottish islands is lack of jobs, so I do wonder what exactly the refugees are going to do for work. I suspect that many of them will want to relocate to cities where there are more jobs, which just puts more pressure on the housing market in those cities.

They aren't allowed to work until their asylum claims have been assessed which must be very frustrating for them. I am not sure if those we have resettled on Bute from Syria have had their claims already assessed and can set up businesses and start jobs however.

If you are educated and skilled as some of them are then you may well be able to take on work such as translation services or your expert field operating your business by internet (assuming you can get fast wifi on Bute).

Deo I'm pretty sure the Syrians taken in have already had their claims for asylum approved - which is why they have been flown from Syria to the UK. There are very few job opportunities on places like Bute, not sure what sort of businesses you think they could start? No idea about broadband speeds, but even so there are few businesses that need only broadband to operate, and demand for translations services is mostly face to face. It is also a myth that the Syrians the UK has taken are all highly skilled. In reality many of them have very little education.

The only reason they have been dumped on Bute is that there is empty social housing and school places there (and despite what the media and Scottish govt say not all locals are pleased they are there). After one Scottish winter I expect the majority will be desperate to leave.