I lived like that for years, I've lived now in SH for coming up 8 years. I earn a little over nmw, in fact the new nmw will be more in April than I earn now. I'll likely get 10 maybe 20p an hour more when that happens. That wouldn't bridge the gap between SH rent and a private rent. My SH provider is a non profit organisation, and they do a lot for the communities they are part of to make them pleasant and decent. But that points towards not only the housing stock paying for itself through the rents raised but also having some surplus to be able to do that. By comparison the council services are woeful.
At times when in private rent I received housing benefit to help me be able to pay (and I've never been unemployed, part time for a little while because there was no availability for local childcare), since living in SH the rent has been paid entirely by wages.
I wasn't jealous of SH tenants when in private rent because I didn't blame them for the way my LL's behaved - the issue was the LL and the way that the system works, it would still be the same if SH didn't exist (likely worse actually because then the market would have a completely captive audience). SH tenants are also not to blame for mortgage increases or house prices, or people over mortgaging themselves.
I pay less than a private rent, probably not as much less as some think, but it is less, but then unlike the private rent I've lived in there was literally nothing when I moved in, not even plugs in the bath and sink. None of the things like white goods, fixtures and fittings or carpets - you provide those yourself - pay less and get less - which I am absolutely fine with, more than fine with. And the SH organisation doesn't behave like they're doing me some massive benevolent favour by allowing me to give them what is still a large amount of money to live in 'their' house, like some LLs do - behaving like they get nothing out of it and they're some kind of Saint for renting out a property. They actually recognise they're providing a service in return for payment and I'm a customer effectively.
I mean they're not perfect, they have policies that indicate they are unaware of the fact so many of their tenants work and don't sit at home all day, and arrange appointments without telling you and then get arsey when you're not in for the appointment you don't know you have. I have a dripping tap and a window that doesn't shut properly and it's been like that coming on 2 years now, it's cellotaped up to stop the draught and the online portal just says that the repair request is 'being processed'. And before anyone starts, on the occasions where I've actually had an appointment to fix it and it's been cancelled at the last minute, I've asked if I can fix them myself/get someone in and I would be in breach of my tenancy if I did.
I lost everything to an abusive relationship and that's how I became eligible for social housing and I live somewhere that I wouldn't have considered if I'd had more choice because it's got various issues (not with the actual place but it's position) and apparently I'm the longest standing tenant since it became SH because other people clearly felt the same!
We still have some bare floors and rooms that have the decor that was here when we moved in. It's secure though, and I'm grateful for it. I still struggle financially, but I'd be screwed if in private rent.
I just find it confusing that anyone would be jealous to the point that they need to be be vindictive about all that, I get that it's really tough for some right now, but it's been really tough for me and still is with COL hanging over everyone. I barely got back on my feet and COVID hit, then COL.
I've every sympathy with people struggling, but me struggling more isn't going to stop them struggling is it? It'll just mean they have to go be jealous of someone else.