There is almost certainly a long and very expensive story behind this of an army of people trying to help her. Some people need to be accountable for their bad decisions.
Yes, you and I don't know the backstory but so what? What does "need to be accountable for their bad decisions" mean - is an addiction or a mental health problem a "bad decision"? Is losing your job and thereby your livelihood a bad decision? Is suffering abuse from a partner a bad decision?
What does "accountable" mean? You make a mistake and you're damned for all eternity. That is mean spirited and callous - we should and need to be so much better than that. We're now in the 21st century not the age of the poor house though Terminus House sounds like a modern equivalent.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
There is almost certainly a long and very expensive story behind this of an army of people trying to help her. Some people need to be accountable for their bad decisions.
"A majority across every generation, ethnic group and even Remain supporters want to reduce immigration, a mass survey voters has found.
Findings by the new Tory think tank Onward revealed majority backing for controlling numbers even among 18-24 year-olds - who back it by 38 to 36 per cent."
There is almost certainly a long and very expensive story behind this of an army of people trying to help her. Some people need to be accountable for their bad decisions.
Yes, you and I don't know the backstory but so what? What does "need to be accountable for their bad decisions" mean - is an addiction or a mental health problem a "bad decision"? Is losing your job and thereby your livelihood a bad decision? Is suffering abuse from a partner a bad decision?
What does "accountable" mean? You make a mistake and you're damned for all eternity. That is mean spirited and callous - we should and need to be so much better than that. We're now in the 21st century not the age of the poor house though Terminus House sounds like a modern equivalent.
There's a disturbing tendency towards put em in the poor house amongst the ignorant of this nation. Usually those that have not needed to avail themselves of welfare. As soon as they do it'll be 'well I paid in my whole life, Im entitled'
I absolutely guarantee she is still only in temporary accommodation because she has repeatedly refused offers of rehousing, and is holding out for a nice flat somewhere, not the equiv of what she had. Though it sounds very shoddy to house her where she couldnt use a bathroom.
Homelessness has been rising dramatically, all over the country in the last 2-3 years. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Whilst not disagreeing with you, I wonder if you mean that you've seen an increase in rough sleeping in the last 2-3 years? Not the same thing as homelessness, and a very important distinction.
Quite. rough sleeping is a subset of homelessness and the increase is largely non British people. Not sure what the solution is.
I saw this assertion made at Christmas on here, too. A week before Christmas I saw about thirty people sleeping in Charing Cross station, something I haven't seen since the 1980s. Many of them were talking in native English accents and appeared to be from outside of Central London.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
Homelessness has been rising dramatically, all over the country in the last 2-3 years. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Whilst not disagreeing with you, I wonder if you mean that you've seen an increase in rough sleeping in the last 2-3 years? Not the same thing as homelessness, and a very important distinction.
Quite. rough sleeping is a subset of homelessness and the increase is largely non British people. Not sure what the solution is.
I saw this assertion made at Christmas on here, too. A week before Christmas I saw about thirty people sleeping in Charing Cross station, something I haven't seen since the 1980s. Many of them were talking in native English accents and appeared to be from outside of Central London.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
"Most rough sleepers are male and UK nationals. In 2016-17 86% of rough sleepers were male and, across England as a whole, around 80% of rough sleepers were UK nationals. In London, however, just 40% were UK nationals, and almost 30% from EU member states"
Homelessness has been rising dramatically, all over the country in the last 2-3 years. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Whilst not disagreeing with you, I wonder if you mean that you've seen an increase in rough sleeping in the last 2-3 years? Not the same thing as homelessness, and a very important distinction.
Quite. rough sleeping is a subset of homelessness and the increase is largely non British people. Not sure what the solution is.
I saw this assertion made at Christmas on here, too. A week before Christmas I saw about thirty people sleeping in Charing Cross station, something I haven't seen since the 1980s. Many of them were talking in native English accents and appeared to be from outside of Central London.
Talking in their sleep?
The sign of sleep was their sleeping bags ; the time of day was 5pm.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
The competition for low wage jobs doesn't help the problem in your opening paragraph. But big corporates cant make huge profits without such exploitation
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
There are english rough sleepers all over southwest london now, in affluent areas where there never were. From my experience speaking to them and the people who run supermarkets outside which they often seemed to be stationed, they tend to be ex-army people, people with psychological issues lost by cut mental health services, or people who failed to pay their rent due to benefit changes.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
I don't disagree with any of that. What is really needed is joined up thinking which restricts the number of immigrants to the level of housing available. We have had over a decade of very high immigration and very low levels of house building. The consequences are inevitable, indeed it is surprising that it has not been even worse.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
I don't disagree with any of that. What is really needed is joined up thinking which restricts the number of immigrants to the level of housing available. We have had over a decade of very high immigration and very low levels of house building. The consequences are inevitable, indeed it is surprising that it has not been even worse.
Your refusal to see that any of this is not to do with immigration is quite extraordinary.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
The competition for low wage jobs doesn't help the problem in your opening paragraph. But big corporates cant make huge profits without such exploitation
There you have the problem of modern capitalism. The Victorian entrepreneurs realised an educated and healthy work force would be more productive so they led the way in public health and education. Cities were cleared of cholera though not pollution and gradually diet improved so people became taller, stronger and lived longer.
We need a similar approach in the 21st Century with capitalism leading the way on tackling climate change, addiction and mental health. I'd start by reducing working hours and ending the "long hours" culture which is fuelled by drug use and/or poor diet. If we worked less and lived a little more, I think we'd all be better off.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
"Most rough sleepers are male and UK nationals. In 2016-17 86% of rough sleepers were male and, across England as a whole, around 80% of rough sleepers were UK nationals. In London, however, just 40% were UK nationals, and almost 30% from EU member states"
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
The competition for low wage jobs doesn't help the problem in your opening paragraph. But big corporates cant make huge profits without such exploitation
There you have the problem of modern capitalism. The Victorian entrepreneurs realised an educated and healthy work force would be more productive so they led the way in public health and education. Cities were cleared of cholera though not pollution and gradually diet improved so people became taller, stronger and lived longer.
We need a similar approach in the 21st Century with capitalism leading the way on tackling climate change, addiction and mental health. I'd start by reducing working hours and ending the "long hours" culture which is fuelled by drug use and/or poor diet. If we worked less and lived a little more, I think we'd all be better off.
The book "Enough" by John Naish is interesting regarding your last point.
I was going to reply to an earlier point of yours by saying that it would be better if people in unfortunate circumstances were housed in beautiful buildings that they had to take care of, rather than bunged in a office block prison. The Victorians also built towns for their workers didn't they? (Bournville being one I think)...
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
I don't disagree with any of that. What is really needed is joined up thinking which restricts the number of immigrants to the level of housing available. We have had over a decade of very high immigration and very low levels of house building. The consequences are inevitable, indeed it is surprising that it has not been even worse.
Your refusal to see that any of this is not to do with immigration is quite extraordinary.
I didn't say that. I simply pointed out that adding 300k+ a year to a population when we are building substantially less than 100k houses is likely to cause problems. Obviously there are other issues such as Care in the Community programs, the changes in benefits by which HB was paid to tenants rather than direct to the landlord, cuts in social services etc.
But the statistics don't show a changing picture, just one that is not improving.
Homelessness has been rising dramatically, all over the country in the last 2-3 years. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Whilst not disagreeing with you, I wonder if you mean that you've seen an increase in rough sleeping in the last 2-3 years? Not the same thing as homelessness, and a very important distinction.
Quite. rough sleeping is a subset of homelessness and the increase is largely non British people. Not sure what the solution is.
I don't think that true in Leicester. Almost all of the rough sleepers in Leicester, and they are plentiful, are white British. Often ex prisoners with drug and other problems, some ex forces or simply fallen through the cracks of the welfare state.
There you have the problem of modern capitalism. The Victorian entrepreneurs realised an educated and healthy work force would be more productive so they led the way in public health and education. Cities were cleared of cholera though not pollution and gradually diet improved so people became taller, stronger and lived longer.
We need a similar approach in the 21st Century with capitalism leading the way on tackling climate change, addiction and mental health. I'd start by reducing working hours and ending the "long hours" culture which is fuelled by drug use and/or poor diet. If we worked less and lived a little more, I think we'd all be better off.
I'd concentrate elsewhere: that's no good if they don't have jobs.
I know a fair few mothers of other children at my son's school. Most of these are solidly middle- or working- class. A couple of them that I know reasonably well, however, are really struggling, and show it. When I talk to them, it seems that in both their cases their problems go back as far as school.
Remember, roughly a fifth of people are functionally illiterate or innumerate. A few percent of those will have learning difficulties, but for most it is a case of failure by themselves as kids, failure of their parents and failure by the school and authorities.
On the other hand, an old friend of mine was told she would never amount to anything, was from a rough family, and she's ended up doing rather well for herself. This was despite her having to drop out of university as her parents would not help her with money - despite their still going out to the pub three or four nights a week.
That is where we need to concentrate. It would be interesting to see how the figures for homelessness and other problems vary with academic results - if only to see my guesses are correct.
There is only so much that schools can do (and some do all they can, whilst others routinely let their children down), and much is down to the parents.
But I'd put it more simply than that: children need to be taught that there are few, if any, short circuits, and their future prospects very much depend on how hard they work at school.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
"Most rough sleepers are male and UK nationals. In 2016-17 86% of rough sleepers were male and, across England as a whole, around 80% of rough sleepers were UK nationals. In London, however, just 40% were UK nationals, and almost 30% from EU member states"
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
I don't disagree with any of that. What is really needed is joined up thinking which restricts the number of immigrants to the level of housing available. We have had over a decade of very high immigration and very low levels of house building. The consequences are inevitable, indeed it is surprising that it has not been even worse.
Your refusal to see that any of this is not to do with immigration is quite extraordinary.
I didn't say that. I simply pointed out that adding 300k+ a year to a population when we are building substantially less than 100k houses is likely to cause problems. Obviously there are other issues such as Care in the Community programs, the changes in benefits by which HB was paid to tenants rather than direct to the landlord, cuts in social services etc.
But the statistics don't show a changing picture, just one that is not improving.
Well, glad to see some broader recognition of the situation there. I've seen very little evidence to support your final point, though.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
The competition for low wage jobs doesn't help the problem in your opening paragraph. But big corporates cant make huge profits without such exploitation
Arent all those jobs protected by raised minimum wage and increased tax thresholds?
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
I don't know what it's like round your bit but there aren't many Romanian rough sleepers in Glasgow. To use a favourite Brexitty right trope, why would they come over here to take advantage of the UK benefit system then make it much harder for themselves to do so?
In any case, as suggested in the recent 60 Days On The Streets programme, Glasgow at least seems to have made a dent in rough sleeping compared to other places.
'But after arriving during the coldest part of winter, what he found waiting for him on the streets of Glasgow took him by surprise. “It was really positive, he explains. “There was a bed first policy and so many positive things going on, including the joined-up thinking and how all the organisations talk to each other. There was even an organisation that was set up to allow the different, fragmented organisations set up for homeless people to communicate with each other...
“There was more examples of people with their cases being solved, due to the progressive policies up in Scotland. I think it will be a bit of a light at the end of quite a dark tunnel in terms of the first two episodes. There was a lot that English local authorities and charities could learn from in the way things are being done.” '
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
"Most rough sleepers are male and UK nationals. In 2016-17 86% of rough sleepers were male and, across England as a whole, around 80% of rough sleepers were UK nationals. In London, however, just 40% were UK nationals, and almost 30% from EU member states"
I think if you take people of low educational attainment, cosset them for several years when most of us are learning to look after ourselves, providing them with most of their food, accommodation, entertainment, support networks etc and then put them out on their own in their 30s it is hardly surprising that they don't cope. It's frankly irresponsible.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
This isn't just about homelessness or rough sleeping but about the quality of life for thousands of people. It shouldn't be acceptable in 2019 in the UK for families to live in one room - it shouldn't be acceptable for 20 or more people to live in a 3-bedroom suburban semi and it shouldn't be people for people to be caged up in a modern day workhouse like Terminus House.
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
The competition for low wage jobs doesn't help the problem in your opening paragraph. But big corporates cant make huge profits without such exploitation
Arent all those jobs protected by raised minimum wage and increased tax thresholds?
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
I don't know what it's like round your bit but there aren't many Romanian rough sleepers in Glasgow. To use a favourite Brexitty right trope, why would they come over here to take advantage of the UK benefit system then make it much harder for themselves to do so?
In any case, as suggested in the recent 60 Days On The Streets programme, Glasgow at least seems to have made a dent in rough sleeping compared to other places.
'But after arriving during the coldest part of winter, what he found waiting for him on the streets of Glasgow took him by surprise. “It was really positive, he explains. “There was a bed first policy and so many positive things going on, including the joined-up thinking and how all the organisations talk to each other. There was even an organisation that was set up to allow the different, fragmented organisations set up for homeless people to communicate with each other...
“There was more examples of people with their cases being solved, due to the progressive policies up in Scotland. I think it will be a bit of a light at the end of quite a dark tunnel in terms of the first two episodes. There was a lot that English local authorities and charities could learn from in the way things are being done.” '
Good to see them getting treated the way they should be , will be back door in a bin lorry next time. Then tomorrow she has to sit outside the room whilst the EU members decide what rules they will impose on England in exchange for agreeing Theresa's beg for more time. How low the mighty have fallen.
I'm sure that informal lunch wont be tense in the slightest. Is Corbyn a cricket fan? He and May could bond discussing the new season and how backbenchers are annoying twits.
May and Corbyn not attending
Shame. I guess what they want is pretty irrelevant anyway.
Homelessness has been rising dramatically, all over the country in the last 2-3 years. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Whilst not disagreeing with you, I wonder if you mean that you've seen an increase in rough sleeping in the last 2-3 years? Not the same thing as homelessness, and a very important distinction.
Quite. rough sleeping is a subset of homelessness and the increase is largely non British people. Not sure what the solution is.
Surely you do not rough sleep if you have a house and therefore are de facto homeless.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
"Most rough sleepers are male and UK nationals. In 2016-17 86% of rough sleepers were male and, across England as a whole, around 80% of rough sleepers were UK nationals. In London, however, just 40% were UK nationals, and almost 30% from EU member states"
Why do we have any non UK and Irish citizen rough sleepers. Other EU member states wouldn’t support them but send them home as they aren’t by definition meeting FOM criteria.
Sorry to be harsh but why is it our problem to house foreign single male nationals from other EU member states.
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
I don't know what it's like round your bit but there aren't many Romanian rough sleepers in Glasgow. To use a favourite Brexitty right trope, why would they come over here to take advantage of the UK benefit system then make it much harder for themselves to do so?
In any case, as suggested in the recent 60 Days On The Streets programme, Glasgow at least seems to have made a dent in rough sleeping compared to other places.
'But after arriving during the coldest part of winter, what he found waiting for him on the streets of Glasgow took him by surprise. “It was really positive, he explains. “There was a bed first policy and so many positive things going on, including the joined-up thinking and how all the organisations talk to each other. There was even an organisation that was set up to allow the different, fragmented organisations set up for homeless people to communicate with each other...
“There was more examples of people with their cases being solved, due to the progressive policies up in Scotland. I think it will be a bit of a light at the end of quite a dark tunnel in terms of the first two episodes. There was a lot that English local authorities and charities could learn from in the way things are being done.” '
Overall applications are down slightly over the last 5 years, accepted applications are up slightly. It is a disappointingly static picture given addressing this was supposed to be a priority but a surge it isn't.
And yet the evidence of our own eyes tells us a completely different story.
I think what we are seeing is more rough sleeping, as Richard mentioned earlier. It is a lot more obvious than people in overcrowded conditions or sofa surfing. It has clearly increased since Romania joined the EU and we received a lot more professional beggars than we had before.
"Most rough sleepers are male and UK nationals. In 2016-17 86% of rough sleepers were male and, across England as a whole, around 80% of rough sleepers were UK nationals. In London, however, just 40% were UK nationals, and almost 30% from EU member states"
I think if you take people of low educational attainment, cosset them for several years when most of us are learning to look after ourselves, providing them with most of their food, accommodation, entertainment, support networks etc and then put them out on their own in their 30s it is hardly surprising that they don't cope. It's frankly irresponsible.
David, Not sure where you see any Tories cosseting poor people, is it an east coast thing.
Comments
What does "accountable" mean? You make a mistake and you're damned for all eternity. That is mean spirited and callous - we should and need to be so much better than that. We're now in the 21st century not the age of the poor house though Terminus House sounds like a modern equivalent.
It also shows why we need democratic representatives rather than public votes on major constitutional issues.
"A majority across every generation, ethnic group and even Remain supporters want to reduce immigration, a mass survey voters has found.
Findings by the new Tory think tank Onward revealed majority backing for controlling numbers even among 18-24 year-olds - who back it by 38 to 36 per cent."
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8812811/immigration-cut-majority-survey-found/#comments
Sooner we move to universal income the better
(©Glen Hoddle)
https://twitter.com/tpgcolson/status/1115584392527794182
Rough sleeping is a niche issue and I'm aware there are a core of people who prefer to live that way and that's fair enough. I'm also aware those who re homeless or sleep rough are disproportionately prone to addiction and mental health issue and I'm also aware ex-servicemen and ex-offenders are disproportionately highly represented among rough sleepers so it's a complex issue.
The problem comes when individual cases are cited and used to demonise those seeking help and this was unfortunately the case in the Coalition years when the drive to reduce public spending was coupled with campaigns to imply there was widespread abuse of the benefits system.
https://www.nao.org.uk/naoblog/growing-number-of-rough-sleepers/
We need a similar approach in the 21st Century with capitalism leading the way on tackling climate change, addiction and mental health. I'd start by reducing working hours and ending the "long hours" culture which is fuelled by drug use and/or poor diet. If we worked less and lived a little more, I think we'd all be better off.
I was going to reply to an earlier point of yours by saying that it would be better if people in unfortunate circumstances were housed in beautiful buildings that they had to take care of, rather than bunged in a office block prison. The Victorians also built towns for their workers didn't they? (Bournville being one I think)...
But the statistics don't show a changing picture, just one that is not improving.
I know a fair few mothers of other children at my son's school. Most of these are solidly middle- or working- class. A couple of them that I know reasonably well, however, are really struggling, and show it. When I talk to them, it seems that in both their cases their problems go back as far as school.
Remember, roughly a fifth of people are functionally illiterate or innumerate. A few percent of those will have learning difficulties, but for most it is a case of failure by themselves as kids, failure of their parents and failure by the school and authorities.
On the other hand, an old friend of mine was told she would never amount to anything, was from a rough family, and she's ended up doing rather well for herself. This was despite her having to drop out of university as her parents would not help her with money - despite their still going out to the pub three or four nights a week.
That is where we need to concentrate. It would be interesting to see how the figures for homelessness and other problems vary with academic results - if only to see my guesses are correct.
There is only so much that schools can do (and some do all they can, whilst others routinely let their children down), and much is down to the parents.
But I'd put it more simply than that: children need to be taught that there are few, if any, short circuits, and their future prospects very much depend on how hard they work at school.
In any case, as suggested in the recent 60 Days On The Streets programme, Glasgow at least seems to have made a dent in rough sleeping compared to other places.
'But after arriving during the coldest part of winter, what he found waiting for him on the streets of Glasgow took him by surprise.
“It was really positive, he explains. “There was a bed first policy and so many positive things going on, including the joined-up thinking and how all the organisations talk to each other. There was even an organisation that was set up to allow the different, fragmented organisations set up for homeless people to communicate with each other...
“There was more examples of people with their cases being solved, due to the progressive policies up in Scotland. I think it will be a bit of a light at the end of quite a dark tunnel in terms of the first two episodes. There was a lot that English local authorities and charities could learn from in the way things are being done.” '
https://tinyurl.com/y4mrmhto
Thread has Defected
Damage to future employment prospects dramatically reduced.
I think if you take people of low educational attainment, cosset them for several years when most of us are learning to look after ourselves, providing them with most of their food, accommodation, entertainment, support networks etc and then put them out on their own in their 30s it is hardly surprising that they don't cope. It's frankly irresponsible.
https://www.nao.org.uk/naoblog/growing-number-of-rough-sleepers/
https://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/234210-who-would-you-vote-for-in-eu-elections/page/2/
Sorry to be harsh but why is it our problem to house foreign single male nationals from other EU member states.