Where will the refugees coming to the UK live?

[Meeklynamechanged]

In no way a goady thread, I fully support helping the people fleeing such horrid circumstances, but genuine question.. where will they live? Where do we put people?

Where I live we have people waiting 10 years for a council property. Most areas around the UK have a huge deficit in available housing that doesn't meet demand.

With so many families stuck in overcrowded hostels and B&B's, families of 5 in 1 bed flats, I can't see where all of the required the housing will come from?

Nobody is writing anyone off here, the basics concerns are about infrastructure, money, lack of affordable housing already , the NHS post a pandemic , the ones born here feeling left behind and not able to buy or be eligible for a council house, the people who are genuinely worried about where these people will live and work especially if their English isn't that great. Who will be able to teach them these skills? Schools are already hard pushed for cash ( again , especially after the pandemic) yet will have to take in children who will need additional support ?
I don't think it's inhumane to be concerned about all these things and how they will be addressed.

@habibibibi

It's funny because the very same conversations were had about the Syrians, and about the Ugandan Asians, and about the Jews - it goes on and on. Just bloody do the right thing. Think about how much the Jews and the Ugandan Asians (who are now both well established) have CONTRIBUTED to Britain. You're not just providing a refuge but it's good for the country as well.

Well said.

@mustlovegin

I think there are a lot of bleeding heart liberal do gooders on this thread who think that every refugee coming to the U.K. is a Guardian reader in disguise

Yes, a mix of gullible clueless theorists and some Bolsheviks sprouting too

Personally I am heartened to see so many people supportive of genuine refugees who will now flee from Afghanistan in fear of their lives. All we can do as individuals is make the world a slightly better place, and I am certainly up for doing this.

if the country is going to take that risk the the country needs an honest discussion about the risks and potential benefits

Yes, the problem is that people are scared of speaking up for fear of being called bigots, insensitive, and all other insults we already know. All possible discussion is shut down these days by the thought police.

Habibi, Im in my 50s with multiple health conditions but still mobile.I was thinking more if we had older/elderly refugees. Also depending on if people had been hurt/wounded fleeing. The NHS is in crisis, I think there is now something like a 5 million long waiting list to be seen by a consultant in England. I can hardly get to see a GP.

Definition of liberal - "willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas

Yes, like the liberal 'cancel culture' mob, you mean?

@PenCreed

We're lucky enough to have have two spare rooms, we offer one of them to refugees and have done for a few years now. They get the support and help from the agencies that place them, all we have to do is make small talk and occasionally feed them.

There are at least two charities that do it.
Room for Refugees: www.roomforrefugees.com
Refugees at Home: www.refugeesathome.org

We're on a break at the moment as we hosted two people (one after the other) through lockdowns and it was a bit intense, plus we need to do some work on the house, but will be hosting again later in the year.

Thanks for those links, very interesting schemes. And, well done.

Not everyone contributes though do they? Many end up on benefits even if they can work.
For every person who is now in a high flying job there are many others living on the state . This money has to come from somewhere too and post a pandemic with zillions of pounds in debt already it'll be the young who will pick up the shortfalls :(
Plus there won't be a proper discussion about any of this as anyone expressing concerns are shut down as being racist or bigots when we can already see things falling apart as it is.
Read any thread about our young people trying to access mental health support in schools and it's always ' lack of funds ' , which will be found to help others ; no wonder people are angry, yet we are called names if we ask questions about how it'll all be funded or where they will all live etc .

@DazzlePaintedBattlePants

I think there are a lot of bleeding heart liberal do gooders on this thread who think that every refugee coming to the U.K. is a Guardian reader in disguise. They will bring a whole raft of problematic cultural views with them- the idea that somehow that women will seamlessly transition into modern Western lifestyle - or that the men will let them - is laughable, as is the idea that they will be happy in some random town and put up with whatever they are given with some forelock tugging. They’ll move to London as soon as they are able and it will take generations before they leave their cultural views behind. And that’s before you deal with any trauma refugees have because of the whole “fleeing a war zone” thing.

I think anyone volunteering their spare room is frankly crazy. I can’t think of a single instance where large scale refugee resettlement has gone well in this country and I have no faith that this will be any different.

100 million per cent this. ^

Lots of people go on pages like this, and on twitter etc, and claim they would happily offer these refugees a home. The vast VAST majority of people would not. FFS, most people on here won't answer the door to a stranger, and hate their own stepkids/partner's ex wife/in-laws/neighbours.

As IF they'd have strangers from a overseas living with them, with, as you say, a whole host of issues, and a LOAD of different cultural views and customs and traditions, and who (in some cases,) cannot speak our language.

Also, as a pp said upthread

"millions of homeless on the streets of Britain many ex Army. I don't see anyone offering spare rooms to them."

This .. ^ If these people claiming we should all offer a spare room to a refugee are absolutely mean it, then go out tomorrow, and take a homeless person off the street, and offer them a home.

They won't though. These are the same type who say 'let me know if I can be of any help' when someone is in the middle of a crisis, but then make excuses not to help if the person asks them for help.

I know a woman like some of the people on here; she has a 3 bedroom house to herself, and is a Guardian reading leftie who judges everyone who voted for Brexit, (and says they're all thick racists,) and thinks she is so PC and tolerant and an amazing human being.

She told me a few weeks ago, that she had had a refugee living with her for 2 months (during June and July.) I said 'OMG where from?!' She said 'Sweden' Turns out this woman was married to an English man and had been living in England for 3 years with him, and the marriage had gone tits-up, and their rental house had had its tenancy end.

She had family in Sweden, but couldn't go back there until the house her father had BOUGHT for her was ready. It was having a new kitchen and a new bathroom, and an extension at the back, so she needed somewhere to stay for 2 months while her house that was being BOUGHT for her was being done up. Yeah a real desperate case.

Yeah I KNOW the refugees from Afghanistan are a lot more desperate, but the people on here saying 'me me me, I would offer a room to a refugee!' remind me of this woman, because the reality is that many of them wouldn't.

Certainly a few people would, but most people wouldn't. Most people COULDN'T

And those saying 'I have been waiting 7, 8, 9 years for social housing, and my rent costs me half of my income, but I am happy for all these people to take all the housing, whilst I just stay in my insecure, expensive accommodation.' Yeah right.... SURE you would be OK with it!! 😂

These aren't just people. They're doctors, nurses, vets, carers, lorry drivers, firefighters, dentists, engineers, scientists. Etc. We need all of those things, we should recognise that not only is it a humanitarian necessity for us to help, but as a country we are in desperate need of their skills!

Bleeding heart liberal do gooders, also known as compassionate, open minded people who make the world a better place

Yes, who support the 'no debate' culture, and who appear to have little grasp of all the real issues and practicalities mentioned by the80sweregreat

They're doctors, nurses, vets, carers, lorry drivers, firefighters, dentists, engineers, scientists

How do you know? Please explain

@the80sweregreat

Nobody is writing anyone off here, the basics concerns are about infrastructure, money, lack of affordable housing already , the NHS post a pandemic , the ones born here feeling left behind and not able to buy or be eligible for a council house, the people who are genuinely worried about where these people will live and work especially if their English isn't that great. Who will be able to teach them these skills? Schools are already hard pushed for cash ( again , especially after the pandemic) yet will have to take in children who will need additional support ? I don't think it's inhumane to be concerned about all these things and how they will be addressed.

If the people with a target on their backs are interpreters, I think we can assume their command of the English language is more than adequate. The rest is just excuses. A huge number of Europeans have left this country and 130,000 people have died of covid, there are over a million job vacancies. We need to crack on and look after the Afghan people we put in danger.

Habibi, thank you for those stats. I will have a look. It's truly awful I cannot imagine living under such fear.

The rest is just excuses

How can you call all the issues she's talking about 'excuses'? You should be embarrassed, honestly

@Baystard

These aren't just people. They're doctors, nurses, vets, carers, lorry drivers, firefighters, dentists, engineers, scientists. Etc. We need all of those things, we should recognise that not only is it a humanitarian necessity for us to help, but as a country we are in desperate need of their skills!

@Baystard

These aren't just people. They're doctors, nurses, vets, carers, lorry drivers, firefighters, dentists, engineers, scientists. Etc

LOL no they're not. 😂

@mustlovegin

if the country is going to take that risk the the country needs an honest discussion about the risks and potential benefits

Yes, the problem is that people are scared of speaking up for fear of being called bigots, insensitive, and all other insults we already know. All possible discussion is shut down these days by the thought police.

Do you mean the risks and benefits for people in fear for their lives, or for people in the world's sixth largest economy?

Did the Afghans get a conversation about the risks and potential benefits of invasion, occupation and abandonment?

@Gothichouse40

Habibi, Im in my 50s with multiple health conditions but still mobile.I was thinking more if we had older/elderly refugees. Also depending on if people had been hurt/wounded fleeing. The NHS is in crisis, I think there is now something like a 5 million long waiting list to be seen by a consultant in England. I can hardly get to see a GP.

But that is not the demographic profile. First, Afghanistan is a young country with relatively fewer older people. Second, migrants and refugees tend to be younger. Sadly those who are even ABLE to flee will tilt towards yonger and healtier. Plus 20,000 people is NOT what is going to topple the NHS. That's government policy!

Holyrood Palace is Central Edinburgh

Sure, but even if HES (who own it) were willing to give it up, Palace of Holyroodhouse would need millions spent on it if it were to be converted in to living accommodation. As a guide, one of the small historic buildings next to the site was turned in to nine 1 bed holiday apartments a couple of years ago at a cost of around 1.5 million.

For that cost alone you could build about ten 3 bed family homes. Remember the nonsense about the 2.4m cost of converting frogmore? People think that was for an expensive luxury fit out, but the vast majority of those costs (around 80%) were to bring it in to a safe, habitable space.

The cost of converting the whole crown estate, bringing them to current building code for living accommodation would run in to the hundreds of millions. It would be far more cost effective to build new homes instead and that way, the U.K. isn’t losing ownership of some important historic buildings.

@AngryWhompingWillow

This .. ^ If these people claiming we should all offer a spare room to a refugee are absolutely mean it, then go out tomorrow, and take a homeless person off the street, and offer them a home.

That would be ridiculous and end in all sorts of problems, that's why people interested are offering through approved schemes.

Are you suggesting that this would also be a good idea for the homeless, random people not DBS checked, maybe criminals should just go around inviting homeless people to their homes?

It needs to be properly set up for both sides to have safety.

You'll be familiar with the murderer Denis Nielsen, just because someone is homeless does not mean that they should not be protected from harm.

@mustlovegin

The rest is just excuses

How can you call all the issues she's talking about 'excuses'? You should be embarrassed, honestly

I’m not in the least embarrassed. This is the world’s fifth richest economy and the UK government has painted a target on those people’s backs. I’d have far more reason to be embarrassed if I didn’t give a fuck.

Schools are already hard pushed for cash ( again , especially after the pandemic) yet will have to take in children who will need additional support ?

1st generation immigrants (including refugees) do extremely well at school once their English improves, and in many cases they will just crack on and learn that from the other children too. See @SharonasCorona for example. So go away with your "hard pushed schools".

do extremely well at school once their English improves

Another unfounded sweeping generalisation