To think that this is a prime example of the entitlement from some people in this country?

[MealDeal1]

Someone on a large FB group that I am on posted yesterday to say that they want to move abroad and gave examples of a couple of countries that they want to go to.

They then said that they live in council housing here so would need to be 'housed' over there and how do they go about getting housed?

Basically they wanted to move abroad and get given that country's equivalent of a council house/social housing on arrival.

AIBU to think this is the absolute height of entitlement?

@Meowandthen , I went self employed at 35, and have never had an employer since. I prefer to find my own work, pay my own tax bill etc etc.

If you read my post ALL THE WAY THROUGH you will read that I acknowledge illness and bereavement as factors that can derail the best laid plans. I'd like to think society should help out then, but not necessarily for ever.

Mooi!

Can't blame them for trying.

It's stupidity. I find, increasingly, that many English people are very stupid about how society /the world actually works. The level of ignorance is very high about many basic things.

For the love of god

And a self employed person cannot be made redundant. You just find more, new, different work. Even if it isn't what you think you do mostly. You need to work, to earn, to keep all the balls in the air...

Many benefits are restricted to the first two children in a family. And not many people in the UK have large families nowadays. The average number of children per family is 1.7 and only 15% of families with children have three or more.

I'm not recommending that people should have huge numbers of children that they can't afford; I just don't think it happens often,

I wouldn’t say it was entitled but it gives an insight into the narrow life experience they have, you can’t begrudge people their dreams. However misguided they are.

No need to shout. I read it, sadly.

Now you are suggesting that someone disabled, for example, shouldn’t be supported throughout life. Hmmm.

You are coming across as very smug and unsympathetic.

I’ve never had government support, had minimal NHS use, and paid higher rate taxes for years before leaving the UK. I still pay some UK tax now, although I could have structured things not to as I believe in helping others. An “I’m alright Jack” attitude is part of the UK’s problem.

I am going to guess you vote Tory.

Of course it’s a privilege. A warm home whether social housing or mortgaged, is a privilege. Food on the table is a privilege. Access to a range of healthy food is an even better privilege. To be able to socialise, whether that be a pint at the pub on Friday night or expensive golfing is a privilege. To have the mental and physical aptitude to participate in a civilised society, economically or otherwise is a privilege.
It’s not a race to the bottom. We have various levels of fortune, not in the economic sense, yet that all translates so. Many are disenfranchised and marginalised. That doesn’t have to be as severe as a life changing illness or bereavement but can affect peoples life choices and self esteem significantly.

Instead of quibbling with each other over who gets ‘free’ this or that we seriously need to think with our votes and seriously start questioning how public spending in every area is spent and how effective long term policies are to support citizens and reduce the need for state welfare for multitudes of reasons. It starts in utero.

I've name changed to post this but this is absolutely real, it was posted last night on a mum group local to me by an anonymous poster (hence name change to not give out my location!)

By the posters replies I'd say part entitlement, mostly stupidity. Really stupid. There are a lot of people in the area, particularly in the most deprived areas, who have generations of family who are council housed and know no different. Interestingly the area has some of the most affordable houses in the country to buy, 2 bed terraced from £110k, apartments from £50k.

Savvysavermum

You didn’t mention education? That’s free and continues to be free if people want to gain qualifications.

It should not be a privilege to be housed with food in the table - it’s a basic need:

If we want people to aspire to a better future then everyone needs to be doing their best to contribute to the country. Too many people rely on others and think the government pay benefits - no the workers pay the benefits - the government just decides who gets what.

Yes we should look after those who can no look after themselves bit we shouldn’t have a free for all on the best bargains.

Yes I know that social tenants pay rent. Some use earned income to pay, some use Housing Benefit, others use a combination of both. But I will park that as a separate point.

Rents within the social sector vary wildly. Diifferent sorts of tenancies are offered for social housing, depending very much on who provides it to the tenant, and under what terms.

Local Authorities and Housing Associations both offer properties at various levels of "social", "below market" and "affordable" rent.

So yes, your rent is £900 pcm, I can well believe it. However it is the case that in 2021 the council that employed me charged rent of approx £480 pcm (£110 pw) for a 3 bed council house in my part of SE England. The sum will obviously have increased in line with inflation since then.

I think they sound a bit dim is all. What's wrong with dreaming? Or just asking for facts, or is it the privilege of those who rent privately or own their own house?

This thread is shit-stirring nonsense. Oh, @MealDeal1 , did you put them right on FB? Thought not.

Do try reading it again as you appear to have (deliberately) misunderstood.

I did not mention disability in my post. However, I usually think it's the next line of offensive attack. Really disabled people: no problem. The bloke across the road who was "military disabled" but still competent to drive an HGV 10 hours a day I have less tolerance.

Attack? Don’t be childish.

Good job you don’t make the rules with your scale of entitlement. You might fail if you are ever very ill.

You're right, I'm sorry, I got my sums wrong.

I was thinking of the price landlords in my area were actually charging tenants in the private sector three years ago: £1000 to £1100 pcm for a 3 bed house.

At that time, LHA for a 3 bed property was approx £850. (Obviously that makes life really hard for private sector tenants who face an immediate shortfall in the financial help provided).

Council rents at that time for similar properties were £480 pcm.

I'm never getting involved in public policy making; it's a hiding to misery. I'll take my chances on the illness front: my parents are both still alive at 89 and 90. With a full set of marbles. And walking aids!

Yes education is one of the most important factors imo. Whilst there is significant help for adults to study there are still plenty of barriers people could face. Education is an underfunded area too and some will have come from areas of high deprivation plus had poor parental engagement. Throw in low IQ or sen (even more so undiagnosed sen) then people face more hoops yet again.

Even if someone is a third generation claiming benefits, its not a simple case of laziness. That may be the norm they have been modelled. They probably don’t know socially a lawyer, a doctor or even a teacher or a nurse. Or someone who owns their own home. It could seem alien and unattainable. If they’ve struggled all through school too and obviously don’t have the funds or parents who would care enough to get tutors what would that do to their confidence and self belief?

There are a huge range of possible biopsychosocial factors at play and wanting social housing and benefits instead of working is a symptom, not a cause. We need to intervene far earlier in early years, education, healthcare, social care etc to prevent this from happening.

I'm not making a judgement or statement but the fact remains if, for whatever reason, you're receiving subsidies you are not 'paying your way'. The definition of which means 'to pay for yourself rather than allowing someone else to pay '. 🤷‍♀️

I also don't think anyone should be accepting overinflated rents and not sure how you got there from what I said. Affordable housing should be a basic right IMO.

I didn't say people shouldn't be helped, I'm a big believer in helping people 🤷‍♀️

Council house tenants don’t automatically qualify for HB!
I’ve seen quite a few private renters using HB to fund large homes in expensive locations though (before the HB cap).

Really? They haven't done their homework, have they?