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Original poster

40,000 families homeless due to benefit cuts - and no money saved...

206 replies

pointythings · 03/07/2011 19:01

story in today's Guardian

I am just Shock.

So what can we do to keep people in their homes, especially given that the majority of these families will be working families? How are low-paid jobs in places like London going to be done without penalising the people earning this low pay by forcing them to move away and incur huge travel costs? Are we ever going to have the house price readjustment that is needed so that people can live where they work, have sensible mortgages they can afford and are able to save a bit too?

Aaaargh, I wish I had some answers, I am feeling really depressed about this...

OP posts:
moondog · 04/07/2011 22:28

Niceguy, you write intelligent and reasoned posts.
I always like reading them.

Mellowfruitfulness · 04/07/2011 23:21

Thank you, Empusa. Have signed.

Niceguy, as a previous poster wrote, these HB cuts will end up costing the government more than it saves because it will have to find accommodation for homeless families + mop up the social problems that it will have created.

If savings have to be made, there are other things the government can do. Many other things, and most involve raising taxes and closing loopholes.

moondog · 04/07/2011 23:35

Mellow, do you not see that while there may be additional extra costs, it is a case of curtailing an utterly insane situation where BTL landlords have a license to print money at our expense?

Is that not glaringly obvious?
Would you prefer it if we just kep on shovellingm oney into their pockets?

TheHumanCatapult · 04/07/2011 23:51

Nice guy

What I am pointing out that it will infact end up costing the council more and i am not unique in that in fact anyone that end up having to delcare themselves homeless .

Will then need rehousing by the council often straight back into the private rented system includuing quite possibily same LL but this time under homeless rules council will be liable for the full rent and quite often that rent under homeless and emrgency accomidation will cost the council more than the previous rent in the first place .

Moondog

What would you suggest happening ?yes it is a akward one but there will be no winners in the situation .Btl LL will get contracts with teh council as emrgency accomidation offers and as it is short term they will charge even more

Mellowfruitfulness · 04/07/2011 23:52

Yes, the BTL landlords do have to be stopped - quite agree with that, Moondog! But why doesn't the government just cap the amount they are allowed to charge?

TheHumanCatapult · 04/07/2011 23:54

oh and have checked with the council ,If i can no longer afford my rent .They have said they will find somewhere that is properly suitable for us as a family and it will be again in the private sector but they will sort out the rent and the deposit .

So potentially I could end up better of in accomidation but costing the tax payer even more and in reality I would just like to stay here where my children are settled and LL is willing to agree to a long lease and then can get adaptions

TheHumanCatapult · 04/07/2011 23:55

As homeless rules on accomidation ,There is no LHA cap on maxium benefit .

Goes of to google disabled accomidation to let in central London Wink

Fifis25StottieCakes · 05/07/2011 00:00

I was shocked when i seen the news last night. At first i though £500 per week HB is ridiculous. An average 3 bed house is £400/£500 per month. Then i read on here what the rents are like in London. They are huge.

Empusa · 05/07/2011 00:07

"Mellow, do you not see that while there may be additional extra costs, it is a case of curtailing an utterly insane situation where BTL landlords have a license to print money at our expense?

Is that not glaringly obvious?
Would you prefer it if we just kep on shovellingm oney into their pockets?"

Obviously that's far from ideal (god knows I'd rather my ex landlord was flat broke, the cunt). The problem is for the most part the BTL landlords aren't going to be so affected. Most of them do not want HB tenants anyway, so they'll continue charging higher rents.

Currently around the SE when I've been looking at renting most properties are above HB amounts anyway.

Obviously something needs to be done, but when it's increasing the risk of homelessness for so many people surely that's not the best thing?

MarySueFTW · 05/07/2011 00:09

As I read the other day - where are the pop stars and celebs opposing this? Why are they all happy to go on the safe Children In Need or Comic Relief but never get involved in real politics? I remember Red Wedge opposing Thatcher in the 80s and I'm not even sure it made much difference, but today's rebel rock stars will just keep quiet about this. Maybe I'm wrong, I hope so. Looking forward to 'We Don't Need This Fascist Poor-Bashing' by The Saturdays.

And fuck everyone who voted for Cameron too. if you didn't think he was going to kick the poor in the face as soon as possible, shame on you for voting without doing your research. if you voted for him because you knew, but thought he might benefit you in some other way... Grrrrrr, I hope you sleep ok at night as little kids are forced to move from their homes into shitty b&bs or worse. All to save NO money.

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:11

fifi

Why do people think it is just London that will be affectedConfused

LHA rates are going down all over the place but rents are rising .LL are not silly they know a lot of people that will have their HB cut will make up the shortfall somehow as their main priorty will be keeping a roof over their childrens heads.

I have the option of being declared homeless and getting accoimdation of the council. with no limits on the rent that will be paid.
But in reality since this could be anywhere .I will juggle bills and things and cut back to stay where I am .As this is the right place for my dc with regards to schooling and here ds 3 needs can be met .Till such time council get of their arse and realise that I will not go away and they will need to find me somewhere to live locally

JarethTheGoblinKing · 05/07/2011 00:16

Fucking awful.

My Sister's landlord keeps pushing up her rent, she's in a private rented flat fully paid with HB. Her rent has gone up from £675 pcm to £850pcm in 18 months since she's been there, all covered. Confused

Some regulation of private lets is needed. If not that then it must be more cost effective for councils to buy flats like these and let them out, rather than funding private bastard landlords.. ?

Fifis25StottieCakes · 05/07/2011 00:19

Human - i dont i just assumed the massive rents were in London. I am shocked at how much rent people are being charged in other areas.

Empusa · 05/07/2011 00:24

We got forced out of one flat when they decided to up the rent. We were already having to top up our HB with quite a substantial amount.

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:24

Jareth her LHA must be very high or she is housed under emergency accomidation rules where LL can keep upping the rent and hb have to pay the lot.And there will be a lot more people joining that group

Fifis
sorry was ot having a go at you Smile but a lot of people do get focussed on London and people living in very expensive house there or in very expensive areas around the uk .Where infact it will hit just about everywhere in the uk including areas that people say are cheap and that others should move to .
Then supply and demand becomes a question and rents go up again

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:25

Empusa if there is another cut after this one .I will be joining the group of people who say to council fine I am not your problem solve it and they will ind somewhere thats not ruled by lHA

JarethTheGoblinKing · 05/07/2011 00:25

THC, HA, not HB, sorry. Not emergency accommodation at all, just her flat.
Council just covers all her rent.

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:26

sorry thats I am your problem Blush.I would rather not go that option at all ,but if I need to I will .

JarethTheGoblinKing · 05/07/2011 00:27

What?
(missed something)

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:31

I have just done a google taking out the need for full adaptions within 15 miles of my current address the cheapest 4 bed bungalow is 1700 and under homeless rules I would be entitled to all that paid for me.Mind thats if they would consider Hb

JarethTheGoblinKing · 05/07/2011 00:33

I don't know what you're talking about, and why i've said anything to offend. My point was that private landlords are able to hike up rents and have them covered by HA which is shit. Did you notice I was talking about my Sister? Confused and baffled.

Fifis25StottieCakes · 05/07/2011 00:34

The council need to buy properties back instead of wasting the money on massive rents. It said on the news they are building 50,000 new council houses. There are 5 being built now on my estate and 15 on another estate so lets hope this continues in other areas.

There are loads of repossessions on my estate that were valued at around 120k, now they are going for 60/70k.

Our council now offer bond certificates which seems to have helped people get private rentals and more landlords seem to be accepting HB now.

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:34

infaqct googled 40 miles o me and there is some cheaper than my current property but when you look into it .They are still higher than LHA rates in that area .So moving out of areas are not possible to save money

And under homeless rules I be housed in the same council area and cheapest here is 1700 looks rather nice to maybe i should trade upwardsWink

TheHumanCatapult · 05/07/2011 00:37

sorry jareth that was follow to my other post missed yours

Jareth tahts what I am saying about your sister LHA must be higher than her rent was .As otherwise you get told tough luck you pay the differance .
That or she is housed under homeless rules and will get all her rent paid no matter what

Nice guy and moondog

While I cna agree in theory that yes LL need curbing .What will happen is that it will end up costing the councils more under the homeless rules

MrsPlesWearsAFez · 05/07/2011 00:55

It is not just a cap of £500/week for all benefits
LHA is capped
Across the country
For everyone that claims it
Even if they work
Even if they have no further earning potential
Even if they have no chance of moving

I'm so very sick of these stupid "it's only going to affect these families with nine kids living in London who obviously don't work, so it serves them right" posts.

I agree that rental prices have reached stupid proportions across the country, but really really really, where are these people supposed to live?