Homeless living on canal & riversides

[Wanted]

If people wish to help then I suggest a call to 'No Second night out' 0870 383 3333 with exact location of the person sleeping rough. A worker will make contact and find a roof for the night with access to support workers. Like everything, it's not without its challenges, but it's a start.

[brassedoff]

Thanks for the link Cotswoldman, i cant view it at the moment.

 

Good call Wanted.

[Wanted]

I have found a survey from Crisis that does show a lot of immigrants sleep rough but no mention of any of them being illegal so like you would like to see the link

 

http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Homelessness_Monitor_England_2015_final_web.pdf

I can't imagine the BBC commissioning a serious survey into this anyway. I've had two phone calls this week from the BEEB wanting to do interviews about immigration and homeless, each time they were coming from a stance of it being a problem for the country and not a problem for the person, for that reason I declined.

[cotswoldsman]

I can't imagine the BBC commissioning a serious survey into this anyway. I've had two phone calls this week from the BEEB wanting to do interviews about immigration and homeless, each time they were coming from a stance of it being a problem for the country and not a problem for the person, for that reason I declined.

I can't imagine how they did the survey. Can you imagine they find a rough sleeper and then say "excuse me but are you an illegal immigrant" I can imagine what the answer would be

[brassedoff]

I can't imagine the BBC commissioning a serious survey into this anyway. I've had two phone calls this week from the BEEB wanting to do interviews about immigration and homeless, each time they were coming from a stance of it being a problem for the country and not a problem for the person, for that reason I declined.

 

Thats the same stance the Goverment try to flog everyone, manipulating hate rather than a soluntion to help them in need.

 

I dont know how they can carry out an acurate survery of who is homeless / illegal, a lot of people are hidden out of view of the public or squatting in buildings. i could just imagine the BBC walking down the street with a clip board ticking boxes.

Edited August 5, 2015 by brassedoff

[Emerald Fox]

 

The Canal is a public place, i dont want to get into where and when photo's should not be taken but common sense should be relevant in the case of taking a picture of a guy who is down on his luck and sleeping on cobbles.

Taking the picture is one thing but putting on the internet

Decent humanity/respect towards a fellow man is much better than rules and regulations.

 

For someone who has had mental health issues, you seem to be one of the sanest on here!

[Wanted]

They probably tag along with the immigration police who stop people based on what they look like...

[Emerald Fox]

BBC survey recently found that 80% of rough sleepers in London were illegal or economic immigrants.

 

Yet the BBC cannot find the paedophiles within their own organisation...

 

I dont believe Television Surveys, Tv's are used as propaganda to make people fall in line with goverment belief's and decisions.

The BBC is renowned for only reporting what they want to

 

We have been without television for 9 weeks and it has been a blessing, I have not missed it one bit as far as the 'News' is concerned.

My life would have been duller without 'Fawlty Towers' and 'The Young Ones' and 'Inspector Morse', though.

 

Tellyvision = Jellyvision (your brains turn into jelly, geddit??!!)

[Wanted]

I think all of this talk of numbers is part of the desire to dehumanise these situations. I read recently that London has about 6 times less homelessness than New York, similar in population, that is not to say there isn't an issue, and I think loads more needs to be done, but if we continue to paralyse ourselves with words like 'swarm' and 'illegals' then the progress made in recent years will unravel.

[brassedoff]

They probably tag along with the immigration police who stop people based on what they look like...

 

its totally wrong but thats the way they work.

 

For someone who has had mental health issues, you seem to be one of the sanest on here!

 

Fanks lol, will you tell my Psychiatrist that

We have been without television for 9 weeks and it has been a blessing, I have not missed it one bit as far as the 'News' is concerned.

My life would have been duller without 'Fawlty Towers' and 'The Young Ones' and 'Inspector Morse', though.

 

Tellyvision = Jellyvision (your brains turn into jelly, geddit??!!)

 

I dont blame you for that, faulty towers / only fools and horses makes far more sense than the news lol.

anyway i better go to bed you lot, night.

 

[Loafer]

I just don't understand why they all want to live in London. Personally, I can't stand the place, except once - so I could get a photo of our boat going under Tower Bridge.

 

Have I missed something?

[cotswoldsman]

I think all of this talk of numbers is part of the desire to dehumanise these situations. I read recently that London has about 6 times less homelessness than New York, similar in population, that is not to say there isn't an issue, and I think loads more needs to be done, but if we continue to paralyse ourselves with words like 'swarm' and 'illegals' then the progress made in recent years will unravel.

I spent 6 weeks in America this year and I was shocked at the homeless especially in Seattle and San Francisco

[Ricco1]

If 80% or even a much smaller percentage of rough sleepers are indeed immigrants the first question that comes to mind for me is: why would anyone want to go to Britain to sleep rough? I assumed, wrongly perhaps, that most rough sleepers would be British.

[cotswoldsman]

If 80% or even a much smaller percentage of rough sleepers are indeed immigrants the first question that comes to mind for me is: why would anyone want to go to Britain to sleep rough? I assumed, wrongly perhaps, that most rough sleepers would be British.

Because like anyone life can change some people are only the loss of one pay packet away from being homeless. The government changes on benefits do not help

[Emerald Fox]

I spent 6 weeks in America this year and I was shocked at the homeless especially in Seattle and San Francisco

 

But they appreciated it when you bought them all a free meal.

[cotswoldsman]

 

But they appreciated it when you bought them all a free meal.

Hehe I did actually as I was interested in how the benefits system works in America Edited August 5, 2015 by FadeToScarlet

[Ricco1]

Hehe I did actually as I was interested in how the benefits system works in America

 

Are you being serious?

 

My understanding is that it's less generous then here, and there's still stigma attached to claiming it. Is that up to date?

[cotswoldsman]

 

My understanding is that it's less generous then here, and there's still stigma attached to claiming it. Is that up to date?

It varies from state to state but homeless charities are far more active. Government housing is certainly more available but the problem is most homeless just stay off the radar. One thing I did notice was the majority were very very young and by that I mean under 21 mainly with drug problems

[Wanted]

I need to check on this, but it's my understanding that proportionally London is not the UK city with the highest street sleeping population.

[cotswoldsman]

I need to check on this, but it's my understanding that proportionally London is not the UK city with the highest street sleeping population.

It was Edinburgh not sure if it still is

[Ricco1]

It varies from state to state but homeless charities are far more active. Government housing is certainly more available but the problem is most homeless just stay off the radar. One thing I did notice was the majority were very very young and by that I mean under 21 mainly with drug problems

 

They have council housing? I thought that was a British thing, very rare anywhere else. How little do I know.

[cotswoldsman]

 

They have council housing? I thought that was a British thing, very rare anywhere else. How little do I know.

Subsidised housing they call it

I think

 

My understanding is that it's less generous then here, and there's still stigma attached to claiming it. Is that up to date?

Basic state pension in USA is about 3 times that of UK at about £16,000 pa

[Ricco1]

Subsidised housing they call it

I think

 

Basic state pension in USA is about 3 times that of UK at about £16,000 pa

 

Yes, I didn't mean pensions. They are not a benefit as such, having been paid for by the recipients. I meant unemployment benefit and the like. Americans I met when I was travelling said it was rarely claimed. It was very little, and those who claimed it were stigmatised.

[Wanted]

It was Edinburgh not sure if it still is

I'm questioning this now, I can't support my thought so I'm not fully confident in it. I suspect that sharp rises in homelessness in the North West would be close to tipping the balance but London is still a beastly thing.

 

Anyway, according to the CHAIN figures for the last Quater, the largest by number counted Nationality of street homeless in London were from the UK (43%). The second largest were from Eastern Europe. (36%)

 

The next largest % was from non CEE member countries at 9% and then 5% Africa, 5% Asia, 2% And an even smaller % for Australisian and American countries. (Of which not all would be illegal)

 

I don't have masses of faith in the complete accuracy of these numbers as I have stated before, and I don't think we should get beyond hung up on numbers when it's humans, flesh and bone all the same that need help, however, it's the only figures available and hopefully it puts pay to the tired, worn out and boring assertion that there are 'swarms of illegals' on our streets.

[Ricco1]

I'm questioning this now, I can't support my thought so I'm not fully confident in it. I suspect that sharp rises in homelessness in the North West would be close to tipping the balance but London is still a beastly thing.

 

Anyway, according to the CHAIN figures for the last Quater, the largest by number counted Nationality of street homeless in London were from the UK (43%). The second largest were from Eastern Europe. (36%)

 

The next largest % was from non CEE member countries at 9% and then 5% Africa, 5% Asia, 2% And an even smaller % for Australisian and American countries. (Of which not all would be illegal)

 

I don't have masses of faith in the complete accuracy of these numbers as I have stated before, and I don't think we should get beyond hung up on numbers when it's humans, flesh and bone all the same that need help, however, it's the only figures available and hopefully it puts pay to the tired, worn out and boring assertion that there are 'swarms of illegals' on our streets.

 

I've only heard the 'swarm' term used to describe the situation in Calais, not to rough sleepers here in Britain. Feel free to correct me.

I'm questioning this now, I can't support my thought so I'm not fully confident in it. I suspect that sharp rises in homelessness in the North West would be close to tipping the balance but London is still a beastly thing.

 

Anyway, according to the CHAIN figures for the last Quater, the largest by number counted Nationality of street homeless in London were from the UK (43%). The second largest were from Eastern Europe. (36%)

 

The next largest % was from non CEE memb