68,000 homeless in Britain, and it's going to get worse

[Anna B]

There was a discussion on Victoria Derbyshire this morning about the 'hidden homeless.' Three people who were chronic sofa surfers all had to leave home due to being turfed out of care, or breakdown of relationship with parents. None of them mentioned flouncing off down to London without thinking about where they were going to stay. Funny that. There must be loads of people who voluntarily give up a warm safe space where they are loved to live in London, without a seconds thought about where they going to sleep.

Obviously the homeless have no else but themselves to blame for being homeless.

 

If you watched the aforementioned programme, none of them had run away to the bright lights of London, they were just ordinary people like you and me, living in different situations all over the country.

 

London had nothing to do with it, government cuts, on the other hand, certainly did.

[tinfoilhat]

I was in that there London this week, during the day and in the wee small hours driving out of it. The things you saw as an outsider I'm not sure registers with Londoners anymore.

[melthebell]

Lets be clear - homeless does not necessary mean being on the streets.

funny you should say that fella, read this today

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42427398

 

Sam drifts between friends' sofas, temporary accommodation and rough sleeping in and around Leyland in Lancashire. Young people like him do not always show in official statistics

 

like i said about unemployment, theres evidence these figures are massaged

[Anna B]

I was in that there London this week, during the day and in the wee small hours driving out of it. The things you saw as an outsider I'm not sure registers with Londoners anymore.

 

I don't think you just have to go to London to see it. It's pretty much everywhere.

[dutch]

England is moving back to similar culture as early 19hundreds. Have read some literature from that time, poverty and people disconnected from social care seems to be part of English culture. It is due to the class system, it separates'. Where I grew up everyone was not judged by income, desperate people were helped at least so they didn't end up homeless.

[Anna B]

England is moving back to similar culture as early 19hundreds. Have read some literature from that time, poverty and people disconnected from social care seems to be part of English culture. It is due to the class system, it separates'. Where I grew up everyone was not judged by income, desperate people were helped at least so they didn't end up homeless.

 

I agree. Particularly about the deeply embedded class system. The improvement in living standards after the World War 2 are being eroded as we speak.

[Robin-H]

I agree. Particularly about the deeply embedded class system. The improvement in living standards after the World War 2 are being eroded as we speak.

 

Don't confuse growth in living standards with actual living standards.

[willman]

The improvements following the wars make it all seem rosy BUT there was no housing left and a decision was made to provide social housing like never before.

There were some of the prefab bungalows in my village built after the war which had a life span of 25 years - they've literally just been replaced.

My grandparents and parents thought it was fabulous to live in social housing on council estates - that is no longer an aspiration but a condemnation.

People aspire to own property whilst doing everything possible to reduce how much they contribute in tax - to build social housing amongst other things.

 

I'm sure many people watching A Christmas Carol don't think it applies to them.

[Bob Arctor]

There are 31 properties advertised on SCC 'First come first served'. Eligible applicants only need a live registration to apply. No waiting time or priority needed. Unfortunately most of the smaller properties are limited to older people, but there are two and three bedroomed properties, suitable for families, sitting empty, mainly in Gleadless Valley. There will be similar situations in other towns and cities where housing is still relatively affordable.

 

https://www.sheffieldpropertyshop.org.uk/PropertySearch/Results/1?Sender=ResultsPage&AttemptedLocationName=Sheffield+(Sheffield)&PreviousAttemptedLocationName=Sheffield+(Sheffield)&AttemptedLocationLongitude=-1.4685214886&AttemptedLocationLatitude=53.3825102071&SearchRadius=5&Location.Latitude=53.3825102071&Location.Longitude=-1.4685214886&Location.Name=Sheffield+(Sheffield)&SortOrder=0&PreviousSortOrder=0&PropertyID=&AllocationScheme=556&AdvertTypes=1&AccommodationTypes=0,1,2,3&AdvertisedDates=&_=1512804549750

 

A tiny drop in the ocean compared to the level of need, you are minimising the problem. Sheffield has lost over half of its council housing since 1979 and non-council housing is nearly always more expensive, which creates an affordability problem, especially when you often have to stump up close to a grand to get accepted for a private tenancy.

[Ms Macbeth]

A tiny drop in the ocean compared to the level of need, you are minimising the problem. Sheffield has lost over half of its council housing since 1979 and non-council housing is nearly always more expensive, which creates an affordability problem, especially when you often have to stump up close to a grand to get accepted for a private tenancy.

 

Not minimising, merely pointing out that there are usually immediately available properties. I'd guess lots of people unfamiliar with social housing won't know that. A genuinely homeless family in Sheffield could have a council property relatively quickly if they were prepared to take what's available. Reducing the numbers of street homeless is often far more complex than simply finding someone somewhere to live.

 

Sheffield, like a lot of other northern towns and cities, had a surplus of council properties not so long ago. They took the decision then to demolish some. Others, like Park Hill, went out of council ownership. There was nothing to suggest then that the demand would escalate as it has done. It's about time England followed Scotland and Wales and removed the Right to Buy.

 

---------- Post added 23-12-2017 at 08:06 ----------

 

Anybody who's interested might want to watch 'Hungry, Homeless and on Benefits' tonight, (Thursday 21st December) ITV 7.30pm.

 

"An investigation into why this festive season is going to be so hard for some families, with more people living in poverty, and homelessness figures rising."

 

I did, but I didn't think it investigative enough. For instance the mum of three who was really struggling wasn't asked about any financial contribution from the father of her children. She lost the family home after they split. I would have liked the programme makers to speak to both parents.