If the government can pay rich landlords mortgages off - why can't they pay the interest on mortgages of people going through financial difficulties?

[UndertheCedartree]

My friend was asking how my financial situation was (as I have been unwell and in hospital) and I was telling her that it has finally been agreed that I am entitled to some help with my housing costs (interest on my mortgage) but that it is a loan. She was shocked and said when she had financial difficulties the government paid most of her high rent (more than double the interest on my mortgage) and it ultimately went to her rich landlord who was able to pay off his mortgage with it. It made me think about the supportive accomodation my boyfriend lives in. The owner is extremely rich and gets housing benefit for 10 bedrooms when there is only 6 as each tenant gets housing benefit at a 2 bedroom rate. He also gets £800 per month for utilities/broadband from the tenants.

It does feel unfair that I have to take out a loan to cover the interest on my mortgage while I'm unwell (as surely keeping a roof over myself and my children's head makes sense?) while wealthy landlords benefit from housing benefit.

@ivykaty44 - I'm aware you think it's wrong. Although I don't think I'll make much in a couple of years of the interest on my mortgage being paid. I've said we'll have to agree to disagree on that. I find it strange you don't think it's wrong that my boyfriend's landlord is making money from benefits, though? You thinking it is wrong doesn't change the fact it is cheaper to pay the interest on my mortgage than private rent or temporary accomodation.

Read my post of 20:50

@SD1978 - I can't now as I'm still in hospital. But to be honest selling the house and moving would be extremely stressful and I'm not sure my mental health could take it. My Social Worker has said it is not a good option and Social Services very much want to keep the children in their own home.

Then post of 22:51

But if you're going to lose the house regardless, would finding somewhere now you can get rent assistance not make more sense? I don't understand hanging on to a house until the bitter end, if then you come out with nothing and request emergency housing due to homelessness? Surely that would be worse for the kids?

@ThreeAnkleBiters - why is it ok to make those who own a house homeless, though?
@Gemma2019 - the people who look after the DC are not saving on their own rent.

I think that this is the only workable solution at present.

The government steps in to help people who have exhausted all of their own reserves.

At the moment on paper you are managing to house yourselves so they don’t pay.

When you are no longer able to do so they will step in.

Hopefully you are able to return to employment to pay off the mortgage as soon as possible.

I think you are massively overestimating how much the housing element of UC would cover if you rented. I am unsure if you’d be eligible for temporary housing if you lost your current property.
Are you on section 3? Could you explore the option of funding for housing? If social services are saying you need to be kept in that home, then they need to be supporting you to do that.

@ivykaty44 - I have thanked everyone who has given advice. I'm sorry but you have a very nasty attitude just because I don't agree with you. You just keep repeating yourself. This thread was about government policy - not my personal circumstance. Paying the interest on someone's mortgage is cheaper whether I will get it or not. However if you actually read the thread (pretty rich you keep ordering me to read it when I have!) you will see that I have CAP coming to assist me next month. You have absolutely no idea how much I have been screwed by the benefit system and no empathy for people with mental health issues or vulnerable. But keep going...the system you support driving people to suicide. Maybe think about that, but I doubt you will.

And I don’t think it would be wise to change it.

You potentially have a situation where people get mortgages and then reduce their hours and let the government pay off their asset. That would be a unfair situation.

@jcyclops - yes, so why's one ok and not the other?

@SD1978 - you may be right but I don't know how I could sell the house now? All the advice I am getting is to stay put. I am having CAP (Christians against poverty) coming next month to hopefully help with all my debts.

You kept asking me the same questions, I’m not going to Answer the same question in a different way just because you don’t like the answer I have given

You’ve made the thread about yourself rather than government policy. That’s fine but you’re not going to like the answers

The benefit system is failing people with disabilities, people without homes

I’ve explained my stance clearly, I’d rather pay higher taxes, stop right to buy and increase social housing

Strangely you didn’t have anything to say Bout that...

@OldMumYoungNan - thank you - I hope so too. Until very recently the interest was paid on mortgages but only to those with no other income but benefits.

@ivykaty44 - again, you've not read the thread - I said I agreed with you on that. You have explained your stance clearly - so no need to keep repeating yourself. I still won't agree with you however many times you repeat yourself. And saying you don't think I know what my boyfriend is paying for supported accomodation is not answering my question!

Nor is saying you don't agree with mortgage help answering why you think it is the more expensive option. And I know the benefit system is failing people with disabilities - I'm one of them! And I know about the homeless I worked with them for many years.

If I answer the questions again I’m repeating myself, servers times I’ve explained, you don’t like my answers.

@ivykaty44 please read what I said earlier -basically health insurance isn't all its cracked up to be - one we had in the past didn't start paying for quite a few months & didn't pay indefinitely & your other benefits might be affected - so you can land up worse than you started with - & as for your benefits - if memory serves me right - the housing benefit substitute doesn't get paid for a while either - its wonderful - lets not forget that how much sickness benefit you get from work differs in the length of time it gets paid & the amount

They probably got rid of that as it still provided an incentive for people to buy a home of their choosing and then reduce hours and use benefits to pay off the interest.

Doesn’t make sense for the individual but it does make sense for a system that only wants to step in at the last possible moment.

I would encourage you to put it out of your mind and go one day at a time. Nothing the government really does makes financial sense to us as individuals. Every bit of policy could be examined and seen as unfair or nonsense by us as individuals.

@ivykaty44 - have it your way. Your just making yourself look ridiculous.

Why would you be happy for them to be homeless when you could have spent less and kept them in their own home?
Agreed

@OldMumYoungNan - you couldn't get it if you reduced hours. But I see your point about stepping in at the last point - but I feel financially that makes no sense. But yes, you're right one day at a time is what I need to do right now.

I'm really not sure why you brought landlords into this. Let's say the government didn't pay the rent for someone in financial difficulty. ..the LL would kick the person out and get in someone who will pay rent. The government pay rent because they have a duty to provide a roof over citizen's heads. The specifics of where that money is paid is effectively irrelevant (to the government).

Not agreeing with private landlords etc is a totally different issue.

The government would house you if you didn't have anywhere to stay. I understand why you want to keep your house, and your situation sounds awful. However, for the reasons many PP's have said above, it would be wrong for them to step in to help people maintain their bought houses.

Surely everyone who has a mortgage and hardly any savings has critical illness cover.

If not, it’s a risk you take I’m afraid.

@Gallusalice79 - it was just because of the conversation I had with my friend and the experience with my boyfriend in supportive accomodation. I never thought it was wrong when the government were stepping in to help a few years ago but obviously some disagree.