AIBU to question Reform's plan to prioritise married couples for social housing?

[QueenSophia]

Reform have proposed to prioritise social housing for various groups : 'Rules would be changed to reserve at least half of all social homes in England for British-born workers aged under 35, with prioritisation also given to married couples, veterans, victims of domestic violence and care leavers.'

I agree with DV victims, those with children, care leavers : veterans are also at high risk of homelessness. But why prioritise married couples over single people? I'm not convinced that's fair. I assume it's to encourage marriage which is a good aim but I'm not convinced if this is the right decision.

I think you’re the one who can’t think critically, she said a disabled person should be more entitled to the 1 bed flat than an able bodied single person with no specific needs, not that every single disabled person should be housed inappropriately 🤦‍♀️

Not all disabled people use a mobility scooter, not all disabled people would struggle in a one bed. Your comments are very reaching and you’re quick to rant about things whether or not they’ve even been said.

Yeah I didn’t mean that in a bad way, I’m not rich and I don’t have a rich circle a lot of my family members and friends live in studio flats or one room in a shared house. So to me a one bedroom flat isn’t the smallest thing in the world

Yeah there was a whole essay on fruit picking earlier. Think it was the same poster

Dh and i lived in a bedsit in the very early 90s The bedroom doubled as the living room

Yes that was me Like i said pre empting the tirade

In other words i knew where it was going These threads are very predictable.

Surely the answer is more accessible housing so disabled people get what they need.

This is the weird and irrelevant posting style people are talking about.

More to the point, since when did national government get to set social housing policies - that’s always been a matter for local councils. Do they intend to run a centralised state?

OK tell me what i should be posting then Tell you what you post it and will copy and paste it

#schoolisinsession.

social housing strategy and framework has always been set by Westminster. It wasn’t those local authorities who decided to introduce RTB!

A housing officer threatens to destroy a mobility scooter but my posting style is the problem.

I wasn’t going to say anything about fruit picking, these threads are usually just single childless people hating on teen mums for “stealing” the council homes when A. Not every teen mum gets a council home. B. Why do you even demand a home from the government when you have no kids, no disability, not a care leaver. Just get a job and buy or rent your own home

Why does 43 year old Robert’s go online demanding a free home and blaming young mothers for “stealing” them all.

Theres your rant from me that has nothing to do with what you said but i just felt like saying

so just to clarify you dont think those without kids should get social housing at all

You don’t need to clarify anything, we’ve been talking to each other on here for about three maybe four pages now and I’ve said everything I think. Idk why you’re asking me to clarify anything.

I’ve said I personally think everyone should be responsible for getting their own place whether renting privately or buying one. I just think social housing should be for disabled people and young adults that are leaving foster care.

But if we are going to have it for other groups OF COURSE people with kids will be prioritised over childless people because kids are so vulnerable. And I’m saying this as someone who’s NEVER lived in social housing my whole adult life and I had kids really young.

Just use your brain why should an able bodied adult with no kids get a place given to them for practically nothing by the government ?

Thankyou for clarifying

I mean it’s fine to debate hypotheticals, but this is literally the equivalent of debating policy if the Monster Raving Loony party were in government. It’s extraordinary how many reform supporters don’t understand first past the post elections. Why are we wasting time debating this?! Far better to focus on parties who could actually win a national election.

Sorry for not returning before, lots of interesting replies. I'll try and reply to some now..
I don't like Reform but this seems a bit dramatic : do you think marriage should be discouraged, then? I don't agree with that, though I don't like this policy either.

How certain is it, though, that Reform couldn't win a place in a coalition at least? I think we should be aware of their policies in case.

To be fair, there's all kinds of aggravating people on Facebook : the most vocal of any kind of annoying person will be there.

Another good point.

Those men are idiots. Teenage pregnancy is much rarer now so another reason that's unlikely.

Yes, I hope the government can improve the housing situation.

I wish MN would crack down on this...

Personally I've never thought singles should be prioritised over those with children. Children should always come first. My issue is with prioritising married adults over single adults.

Single people would only get a one bed place anyway. Someone with a child would get a two bed.
Yep, it makes no sense to prioritise a married couple over an unmarried couple.