Homeless living on canal & riversides

[brassedoff]

Get a fancy tattoo and boast about it!

Love yourself - you know you're worth it!

 

Better that than giving that money to someone homeless and hungry, eh?

 

?

[Athy]

 

?

Our friend Foxy lives in Finland where, as you can tell, modes of expression can differ a little from what we're used to.

 

However, if his point is (and I THINK it is) that people have got their priorities wrong if they are happy to spend loadsa money on unnecessary hedonistic self-indulgence but seem to have short arms and long pockets when they see a charity collection box, then he's right.

[brassedoff]

Our friend Foxy lives in Finland where, as you can tell, modes of expression can differ a little from what we're used to.

 

However, if his point is (and I THINK it is) that people have got their priorities wrong if they are happy to spend loadsa money on unnecessary hedonistic self-indulgence but seem to have short arms and long pockets when they see a charity collection box, then he's right.

 

I dont contribute to charity boxes myself, some but not all dont make it to any charity.

 

where i live i get a knock on the door at least 3-4 times a week.

Edited August 4, 2015 by brassedoff

[bargemast]

Mental Health Issues can break up a very loving family, the truth is its not easy for the familys either.

 

I ended up homeless and i did not see my mum/dad and sisters for over 2 years, thank god we are all back together now and things are Brilliant.

 

 

Something has to change, the amount of NHS Funding Cuts in the Mental Health Sector is shocking, they dont have enough beds so they cant Section someone who really needs to be in Hospital.

 

3 Years ago i got sectioned by the poilice on a 136 while mentally unwell, they did not even take me to Hospital because their were no Beds available, instead i was hancuffed stripped completely naked and left in a prison cell for 16 hours until they found a hostpial bed.

 

Its all wrong treating the unwell like criminals ..................

 

I am doing really well now, and soon to be discharged from the MH system

 

That's absolutely terrible and a most inhuman treatment, and I can't see what they were thinking to achieve by that.

They surely are badly in the need of urgent mental help themselfs.

 

I'm very happy to read that you're doing really well now and hope that your progress may continue even more when you're cruising happily around on your narrowboat.

 

Peter.

[brassedoff]

 

That's absolutely terrible and a most inhuman treatment, and I can't see what they were thinking to achieve by that.

They surely are badly in the need of urgent mental help themselfs.

 

I'm very happy to read that you're doing really well now and hope that your progress may continue even more when you're cruising happily around on your narrowboat.

 

Peter.

 

Thanks Peter, yes i hope to put all that behind me and never see the MH System again.

 

Things are much better now

[larkshall]

I dont contribute to charity boxes myself, some but not all dont make it to any charity.

 

where i live i get a knock on the door at least 3-4 times a week.

I get that too. I give to two charities, but they don't knock or issue the dreaded poly bag for donations. I don't trust most of them for the same reasons as you. I do donate to mates, and local hospice doing silly things for charity.

[brassedoff]

I get that too. I give to two charities, but they don't knock or issue the dreaded poly bag for donations. I don't trust most of them for the same reasons as you. I do donate to mates, and local hospice doing silly things for charity.

 

Pretty much the same, like when my sister did the ice bucket challenge.

 

well ok i really enjoyed watching the video as well, lol

[Hawkmoth]

Wow, there's some vitriol from all sides!

My two penneth:

There is a housing crisis, it's the fault of all governments. If it's government I'm aginnit.

I think it has been established that in general immigration does benefit the country because of the age range.

Immigration may cause a lowering of the wage paid to all, but the fault here lies with the employers probably profiteering, but possibly just trying to make a competitive product. The goverment should set a realistic living wage.

London is a special case. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to force some of the fat cats to relocate to the north. Maybe not, do we want them up here?

Ex soldiers are not treated properly. These men and women put their lives on the line for us and of course the government, or should I say big business.

I feel for the youth of today, they don't have the opportunities that I had as a young man in times of full employment. Yes I did serve.

Good luck Brassy,

Bob

[larkshall]

Pretty much the same, like when my sister did the ice bucket challenge.

 

well ok i really enjoyed watching the video as well, lol

Don't remind me, I got involved in that too

Wow, there's some vitriol from all sides!

My two penneth:

There is a housing crisis, it's the fault of all governments. If it's government I'm aginnit.

I think it has been established that in general immigration does benefit the country because of the age range.

Immigration may cause a lowering of the wage paid to all, but the fault here lies with the employers probably profiteering, but possibly just trying to make a competitive product. The goverment should set a realistic living wage.

London is a special case. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to force some of the fat cats to relocate to the north. Maybe not, do we want them up here?

Ex soldiers are not treated properly. These men and women put their lives on the line for us and of course the government, or should I say big business.

I feel for the youth of today, they don't have the opportunities that I had as a young man in times of full employment. Yes I did serve.

Good luck Brassy,

Bob

Yes mate, it's only since you mentioned it I realise how easy we had it, always plenty of work (and a good variety too). Easy to pick up a smattering of skills to add to your main trade or calling.

[MtB]

Immigration may cause a lowering of the wage paid to all,

 

This strikes me as a fallacy. Immigrants expand the population and become consumers and well as a labour resource, so they also ramp up demand in the economy thus creating jobs that wouldn't exist otherwise.

 

The net effect of immigration on jobs is neutral I think, just as the net effect of a newly born indigenous child is neutral.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Mike the Boilerman

[Hawkmoth]

 

This strikes me as a fallacy. Immigrants expand the population and become consumers and well as a labour resource, so they also ramp up demand in the economy thus creating jobs that wouldn't exist otherwise.

 

The net effect of immigration on jobs is neutral I think, just as the net effect of a newly born indigenous child is neutral.

I did say may.

[brassedoff]

How come homeless threads always turn to Immigrants. everytime lol

Edited August 4, 2015 by brassedoff

[MtB]

How come homeless threads always turn to Immigrants. everytime lol

 

 

Because homelessness gets blamed on lack of housing stock, which in turn gets blamed on population expanding, mostly by immigration.

[brassedoff]

 

 

Because homelessness gets blamed on lack of housing stock, which in turn gets blamed on population expanding, mostly by immigration.

 

But its not all down to housing stock, a lot of people on the streets are their because of Mental Health issues / Substance Missuse or a Combinatoin of both.

 

Society lets people like this down, someone i know recently took their life after being found fit for work when they were very ill, they stopped their Housing Benefit and they were evicted into Homlessness.

 

No ESA = No Housing Benefit for those who are too ill to work with the above problems Mtb

 

The Welfare System forces people onto the street - its not all about how many houses are available.

 

They want to cut the Benifits Bill, and they dont mind stopping anyones Benefits even if they are really unwell.

 

Their Targets come first %

 

Look how many squadies are on the streets with PTSD, its still not seen as serious enough to qualify for ESA & Housing Benefit even today.

 

Sorry everyone i will make sure i stop talking about MH issues on this Forum from now on

Edited August 4, 2015 by brassedoff

[George94]

Wow, there's some vitriol from all sides!

My two penneth:

There is a housing crisis, it's the fault of all governments. If it's government I'm aginnit.

I think it has been established that in general immigration does benefit the country because of the age range.

Immigration may cause a lowering of the wage paid to all, but the fault here lies with the employers probably profiteering, but possibly just trying to make a competitive product. The goverment should set a realistic living wage.

London is a special case. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to force some of the fat cats to relocate to the north. Maybe not, do we want them up here?

Ex soldiers are not treated properly. These men and women put their lives on the line for us and of course the government, or should I say big business.

I feel for the youth of today, they don't have the opportunities that I had as a young man in times of full employment. Yes I did serve.

Good luck Brassy,

Bob

 

It is not within a government's power to change the laws of supply and demand. Rather than trying to force employers to pay more, the government would be better off trying to deal with the consequences of excessive numbers of people in London by building more houses, by lowering the cost of commuter travel, and by encouraging businesses that don't need to be in London to move outside.

 

The minimum wage has been accepted by those employers that normally follow the rules only because it was not very ambitious. Had it been set at a level which would allow people to pay their own way rather than depend on hand-outs, it would have had to be around £15.00 per hour in London. But had they done this, there would have been turmoil.

 

Those who blame the Tories "and their ilk" (whatever is meant by that) forget that things were much the same under Labour. Indeed, it was Labour's immigration policy that led to huge numbers of people with no connection to Britain or Europe flooding in, and it was also Labour that allowed the Poles (who DO have cultural and historical ties to Britain) to flood in in 2004, when most EU countries saw what was coming and closed their doors Had we done the same, many Poles would have chosen Germany rather than the UK in 2009 when the barriers were lifted.

 

So we are living with a Labour-created immigration problem, which (with the encouragement of Gordon Brown) led to the housing bubble that nearly destroyed us, and that makes it hard for the less well-paid to live a decent life.

 

What will save the UK economy is what always saves the UK economy, and that is inflation. The challenge facing George Osborne is to allow inflation to outstrip house prices without causing a house price collapse (which would break the banks again).

 

One thing is for certain, and that is that as a nation we do need to start living within our means. Then there will be less need for welfare, and more money available to those who genuinely need it.

[Hawkmoth]

 

It is not within a government's power to change the laws of supply and demand. Rather than trying to force employers to pay more, the government would be better off trying to deal with the consequences of excessive numbers of people in London by building more houses, by lowering the cost of commuter travel, and by encouraging businesses that don't need to be in London to move outside.

 

The minimum wage has been accepted by those employers that normally follow the rules only because it was not very ambitious. Had it been set at a level which would allow people to pay their own way rather than depend on hand-outs, it would have had to be around £15.00 per hour in London. But had they done this, there would have been turmoil.

 

Those who blame the Tories "and their ilk" (whatever is meant by that) forget that things were much the same under Labour. Indeed, it was Labour's immigration policy that led to huge numbers of people with no connection to Britain or Europe flooding in, and it was also Labour that allowed the Poles (who DO have cultural and historical ties to Britain) to flood in in 2004, when most EU countries saw what was coming and closed their doors Had we done the same, many Poles would have chosen Germany rather than the UK in 2009 when the barriers were lifted.

 

So we are living with a Labour-created immigration problem, which (with the encouragement of Gordon Brown) led to the housing bubble that nearly destroyed us, and that makes it hard for the less well-paid to live a decent life.

 

What will save the UK economy is what always saves the UK economy, and that is inflation. The challenge facing George Osborne is to allow inflation to outstrip house prices without causing a house price collapse (which would break the banks again).

 

One thing is for certain, and that is that as a nation we do need to start living within our means. Then there will be less need for welfare, and more money available to those who genuinely need it.

I find it hard to believe that inflation will solve anything. It just means wages and prices keep rising. I didn't blame "the torys and their ilke" I blame government or perhaps more precisely, politicians.

Why should the tax payer subsidise employers who won't pay a living wage? If you can't make your product/supply your service at a cost which gives a descent wage there's something wrong.

I do remember the Poles arriving. Our company took an several and they were brilliant workers. Those from non EU countries which we employed were, in general pretty poor and indolent.

Rent control might be one way to go, but some say that landlords will then withhold property. There must be some way to make this work, or perhaps go back to building social housing. Yes there are problems with that, but not insurmountable ones.

Bob

[cuthound]

Inflation reduces the "real" value of loans, so ensures they are easier to pay back. That is what George94 was referring to.

[Jerra]

There must be some way to make this work, or perhaps go back to building social housing.

No point if governments are going to continue Maggie's right to buy. Why spend money building social housing get people in only to have them snatch the property away at a reduced price.

 

Having been born and brought up in council housing as was my wife I see nothing wrong in living in rented property. Everybody has the right to buy if they can afford it. Why should tax payers subsidise personal property owning? It is just as somebody said earlier why should tax payers subsidise businesses which don't pay a living wage equally why should they subsidise private property ownership..

[Hawkmoth]

No point if governments are going to continue Maggie's right to buy. Why spend money building social housing get people in only to have them snatch the property away at a reduced price.

 

Having been born and brought up in council housing as was my wife I see nothing wrong in living in rented property. Everybody has the right to buy if they can afford it. Why should tax payers subsidise personal property owning? It is just as somebody said earlier why should tax payers subsidise businesses which don't pay a living wage equally why should they subsidise private property ownership..

It was I who said that about the living wage. I do agree about selling off social housing, it's wrong. This new plan to force housing associations to sell is atrocious.

Bob

[Dyertribe]

I was watching a programme about High Court Sherrifs earlier, they were evicting a woman with three children from a property that the landlord no longer wished to rent.

The tenant was a nurse, she was complaining how difficult to make ends meet...... In London.

So why didn't she move to a part of the country where housing is much cheaper? The pay of a nurse is the same (except for London weighting) all over the UK? Few jobs require you to live in the capital.

She has now decided to return to Uganda.

[cotswoldsman]

I was watching a programme about High Court Sherrifs earlier, they were evicting a woman with three children from a property that the landlord no longer wished to rent.

The tenant was a nurse, she was complaining how difficult to make ends meet...... In London.

So why didn't she move to a part of the country where housing is much cheaper? The pay of a nurse is the same (except for London weighting) all over the UK? Few jobs require you to live in the capital.

She has now decided to return to Uganda.

Just out of interest on that basis who is going to look after the sick in London? My Daughters friend who has been a nurse in London for about 5 years receives housing benefit. There is going to be a big nursing shortage in London soon as nurses recruited from abroad are not going to be allowed to claim housing benefit for 2 years. One hospital has allready said the only solution is to put them in hotels for 2 years

[Ricco1]

Just out of interest on that basis who is going to look after the sick in London? My Daughters friend who has been a nurse in London for about 5 years receives housing benefit. There is going to be a big nursing shortage in London soon as nurses recruited from abroad are not going to be allowed to claim housing benefit for 2 years. One hospital has allready said the only solution is to put them in hotels for 2 years

 

Yes it's a problem. More nurses are needed and more houses for them. More transport for them, using more energy, leading to more climate change. More social services to look after them. More supermarkets and restaurants to feed them. More cows and vegetables to supply the restaurants, and more transport to move the supplies around. More admin staff at the transport companies who in turn, need more houses to live in.

 

More, more more. This is the problem: the apparent need for perpetual economic growth supported by rising population. Nobody seems to realise it though.

[cotswoldsman]

 

Yes it's a problem. More nurses are needed and more houses for them. More transport for them, using more energy, leading to more climate change. More social services to look after them. More supermarkets and restaurants to feed them. More cows and vegetables to supply the restaurants, and more transport to move the supplies around. More admin staff at the transport companies who in turn, need more houses to live in.

 

More, more more. This is the problem: the apparent need for perpetual economic growth supported by rising population. Nobody seems to realise it though.

You lost me there, is that the answer to London nursing problem?

[larkshall]

Many a time and oft I have stated that the maximum fully supported population is about twenty five million souls. At that density we could produce all the food the nation needs. Just imagine the environmental benefits?. But that is off topic, mea culpa.

 

Now nursing situation accommodation. Up until the late 60s there were any number of nurses accommodation blocks. I went out with enough nurses to know this, but that's another matter. These were available on a subsidised rental basis to nurses. I can remember a new block being completed at the hospital in Enfield as late as 1966. I take it these have all gone now.

 

Some of the big hospitals, eg the London Chest Hospital at Moggerhanger (Bedfordshire), had to provide proper good quality flats to attract staff to such a rural location.

 

Are we missing a trick from the past? Or are we frightened of the old tied cottage syndrome. I agree with John, something has to be done to resolve the nursing situation that is looming. My idea would be for a specialist housing association to be set up and partially subsidised to develop good quality housing for essential staff of all classes involved in medicine, transport, maybe other trades.

[Jerra]

Some of the big hospitals, eg the London Chest Hospital at Moggerhanger (Bedfordshire), had to provide proper good quality flats to attract staff to such a rural location.

How long before the government forced the right to buy on them?

 

I think one reason for the lack of "Nurses Homes" (as we used to know them) is that for what ever reason (Personally I blame Maggie) there is a view that home owning is the be all and end all of living and if you aren't aiming for that you are somehow doing things wrongly.