‘National shame’ of rough sleepers will continue because the Tories don’t care
Who said homeless people were what you stepped over, on your way to the opera?
Ah yes, it was Sir George Young, formerly the Conservative Party’s Chief Whip (not to be confused with Lord Young, mentioned in the article excerpt below).
His attitude epitomises Tory carelessness about those who don’t have a place to live, even though it has been proved that finding a home for such people is cheaper on the state than leaving them to fend for themselves.
But then, we all knew the Tories don’t want to help people. They want to feel superior.
Arguments that homelessness is due to immigration are, of course, nonsense. Houses aren’t rationed because foreign people are taking them; they are rationed because this keeps prices artificially inflated and provides nice profits for Tory landlords (many of whom, it seems, have Parliamentary seats).
So don’t expect the Conservative Government to jump at any initiatives to end homelessness. They like putting people on the streets.
Ahead of an opposition day debate … on homelessness, Labour pledged to double the number of homes ringfenced for rough sleepers and expand the Clearing House scheme run by St Mungo’s charity for the Greater London Authority.
The scheme, set up by then Tory housing minister Lord Young in 1991, provides 3,750 flats in 40 housing associations across London for homeless people.
Labour said in government it would extend this to cities like Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester, and create 4,000 permanent new reserved flats or houses for rough sleepers, let at affordable rents to British nationals or others eligible for social housing.
The party called on Theresa May to back the scheme by striking a deal with housing associations to make the homes available now and by funding replacements.
Source: Labour calls on Theresa May to end ‘national shame’ of rough sleepers | Left Foot Forward
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The Tories just don’t care, and they don’t even care that we know they don’t care!
Blaming all the homelessness on immigration alone is of course not viable there are the reasons such as the last few governments selling of the council houses to people who then rent them out at far higher charges for example, or the closure of long term hospital care, but you can’ get away from the simple fact that supply has been outstripped by demand and as the recent Oxford University report shows for every 1% increase in the population due to migration the people at the bottom have an 0.6% cut in incomes making it even harder to rent properties.
What recent Oxford report?
this might be helpful:
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20019/homelessness/365/street_homelessness_and_rough_sleeping
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20019/homelessness
http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/14139708.City_council_breaks_homelessness_law_as_rents_become__impossible__for_families/?ref=mr&lp=13
The tories have never cared and they will continuing not caring!
Its all part of the tory master plan to gind the working man into the ground, little by little society sinks, the only thing left for the working man is getting to a point where stealing as becoming the norm. But as long as they steal from each other its OK
My son Guy’s contribution of all proceeds to homeless charities – brilliant new Christmas single https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5LhQUpLcscE
I’ve done an article.
Oh they will care…around about the time their new leader calls an election….but hopefully people will wake up to the small fact they’ve been hoodwinked by ms.may and her predecessor…promise a lot…deliver very little.
Please will you kindly look at the evidence which says it costs tax payers less to house the homeless. The most comprehensive evaluation of housing related support services estimated that £1.6 billion investment generated net savings of £3.4 billion to public spending. Preventing homelessness is far more cost effective than dealing with it once it has occurred. The minimum cost saving of preventing someone’s homelessness compared to accepting a homelessness duty is between £1,300 and £7,700. If somebody ends up street homeless the costs are even greater: it is estimated that one person sleeping rough costs between £8,605 and £35,000 a year in crime, emergency health and social care services alone.
National research demonstrates that homelessness & rough sleeping impacts significantly upon a person’s health & puts greater demands upon the health service, with 41% of homeless people attending Accident & Emergency Departments, 31% being admitted to hospital, 28% using an ambulance and 82% having visited a GP at least once within a 12 month period.
http://www.ukfamilylawreform.co.uk/itcostslesstohousethehomeless4thmarch2016.htm