To think that there is a misunderstanding about social housing.

[Bitchesbelike]

On social media, lots of people assume that people in social / council housing are getting a free house and don’t work.

i grew up in social housing: my dad worked from age 15 to 65.

my brothers have worked since they were 16 and both live in social housing.

its not “free housing”: it’s rented, affordable accommodation.

They have to already be on the tenancy, and living there too.

https://metro.co.uk/2025/04/24/bailiffs-refuse-kick-grieving-disabled-man-council-flat-born-22962967/

So he's got two flats currently? Too right they aren't obliged to house him. He's got another house.

So theoretically, someone could put their adult child on their tenancy, and pass it to them? And then them to their child once an adult and so on? So the property/tenancy never becomes available for someone else?

So in some ways better than owning a house - as if you own one they can force you to sell it to pay for care home fees?
But if initial tenant goes into a care home,their adult child can take on the tenancy and still live there? And the council will pay their care home fees as they don't have an asset to sell?

It's not clear he says its all locked up. Does that mean he lost the key , does it mean it's all boarded up and locked by the council.

No, they need to have been living there for several years. And it can only be passed on once. Usually it is passed between spouses, but if an adult child lives with a single parent then it will be passed to them.

My parents are in a council house. If my dad dies, my mum inherits the tenancy, and vice versa. I could live with them, but when they are both gone, I wont be able to stay there.

It sounds like the locked up flat may be that way due to unhabitable reasons? Maybe he moved back in with his parents in the mean time, and decided to stay there, and let go of the other one which hadn't been fixed yet? Can't they sort that other one out, and let him stay here? Not sure why it is still in his name, maybe it all happened close together. There is not enough context at all in this article.

Reads more like it's unusable because he locked it up and left it for years to me...
But who knows. It's the Metro.

The rent isn't intended to make a profit over and above maintenance costs etc. unlike private renting, which is. That's one reason social housing is cheaper. But people living in social or affordable housing are paying a proper rent and will be people in jobs that do not pay very well but which we need, e.g. teachers, police, nurses etc.
I think a better solution would be to pay those workers more - but hey ho!

If this is fhe case than that is terrible, unless the man has learning difficulties? He could have been added on to his parents tendency years ago, if he has been there for such a long time.

Yes, it says he has learning difficulties. He was living elsewhere but moved in with his mum. He was not named on her tenancy.

Social housing is subsidized by the taxpayer so it can be offered at below market rates. Councils and housing associations are often very bad at building and maintaining housing at a reasonable cost so even though the taxpayer is paying they are sometimes rented at the same amount as private rental property

It's not subsidized by the taxpayers. Not sure where you get that idea from

It absolutely is a matter of public record that social housing is subsidized. The government pays billions in grants every year never mind tax breaks and other subsidies

In London new social housing doesn't generally go to those people. Zone 1/2 premium housing is frequently occupied by people not even in work at all. I think people would feel a lot better about it if, say, there were a scheme where doctors in the local NHS hospital could get the subsidised housing as part of their compensation package for as long as they worked in the NHS, likewise teachers etc.

Obviously zone 1 London is a fairly unique case in the country

Grants to who? Could you link me to this information please

lol the housing associations would never be able to cope with the work schedules of tenants in those kinds of jobs

i was just about to ask the same thing

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4741212-to-think-housing-associations-are-going-to-have-to-start-doing-checks-outside-office-hours?page=1

🤔grants that they have to pay back.

Grants from central government to councils and housing associations. It’s a yearly line in the budget and has been for centuries. Maybe look it up?

www.gov.uk/government/news/2-billion-new-investment-to-support-biggest-boost-in-social-and-affordable-housebuilding-in-a-generation

You don’t pay back grants. Housing providers often do get subsidied loans as well as grants tho.

So that's for new builds.

He does have learning difficulties and mental health problems, it’s right there in the article. It’s heartwarming to see bailiffs behaving with decency. Hats off to them.

That is a grant to create more homes... which is very much needed.
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