Homelessness rises 55% under ‘disgraceful’ Tory govt – charity

[wondercul]

http://rt.com/uk/236231-homeless-figures-uk-cameron/

Devastating figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) reveal a significant 55 percent rise in homelessness since David Cameron became prime minister in 2010.

The official figures released Thursday say that 2,774 people slept rough in England in 2014, up from 2,414 in 2013 and 1,768 in 2010, the year the coalition government was formed.

Homelessness charities are urgently calling on party leaders to review the situation.

London now has 742 people sleeping rough every night, an increase on 2013 figures of 37 percent, compared with a rise of 7 percent nationwide.

The charity Centre Point confirms the number of rough sleepers in London has increased by nearly 40 percent in the last year.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who six years ago pledged to end rough sleeping in the capital by 2012, has also been asked to account for the figures.

The homeless charity Crisis say the rise has been caused by cuts to benefits, government welfare reform, housing shortages and the legal injustice where homeless people are not a “priority for help.”

Councils are “turning people away” to sleep on the streets, according to the charity.

“These figures show that the law is badly failing people facing homelessness,” said Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes.

“As the law stands, far often when single people ask for help, they are turned away to sleep on the street. Homelessness is a frightening and isolating experience – the average age of death for a homeless person is just 47.”

He added: “No one should be condemned to these dangers. That’s why we’re calling on political parties to commit to review how the law protects people from the devastation of life on the streets.”

Homelessness Monitor, however, believes the actual number of rough sleepers could be up to four times the official figure, which the government admits are “too difficult to record precisely.”

Image from crisis.org.uk

Emma Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, labeled the increase as “shocking.”

She finds it “disgraceful” that the Tories have “not only failed to act, but their policies have made things worse.”

“The prime minister once said homelessness and rough sleeping were a disgrace. But warm words are cold comfort to those sleeping rough if you fail to act.”

Homeless & immigrants targeted by bootleg alcohol makers – report

Housing costs and low pay have made it “more and more difficult” for people to keep a roof over their head, the MP says.

Conservative Communities and Local Government minister Kris Hopkins said he “remains concerned” about the rise, but laid a portion of blame on immigration and “the rise in foreign national rough sleepers in London.”

[Eff1n2ret]

Oh, Boo-Hoo.

In the context of the many thousands of illegal foreigners in the London area and the population of London as a whole, a figure of 742 sleeping rough there seems pretty insignificant.

The real story, I'm afraid, is about the abject failure of the Home Office over a couple of decades or more to support any proper policy to enforce the removal of the hundreds of thousands of illegal entrants, overstayers and failed asylum seekers that infest every major city in Britain. We don't owe those people anything

In any case, I fail to see the relevance of this propaganda to the stated purpose of the Home Country Forum:

Pensions, regulations, laws, etc. that affect expats living in Thailand. No visa related topics

IMHO this topic should be erased.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Eff1n2ret

[lungbing]

Not before I agree with every word you say.

[wondercul]

I don't have much sympathy for poor immigrants going to the UK and i believe they should be sent home. However, the homeless situation and expense of the housing and lack of affordable options is so bad and had gotten worse for many multi generation British people. Tories have only acted in the interest of the rich. Everything else has been commentary to convince people and distract people.

My own family have been badly affected by the attacks on the London housing situation. They want a London with only the very rich. It's disgusting what they gave done to our country.

Edited February 28, 2015 by wondercul

[lungbing]

London is full of asylum seekers, both legal and illegal. Without all that lot your family would have a chance of getting a house in London. But your family come at the back of a very long list that is getting longer.

I really do not think anybody wants a city comprised only of very rich people.

[Briggsy]

Homelessness is extremely highly correlated with alcohol abuse, drug addiction and crime. There are numerous charities, government agencies, government programmes to combat homelessness.

The people who sleep rough have rejected this assistance because it often comes with strings .... no alcohol in hostels/halfway houses, no crack cocaine use, etc.

If you think people are forced to live on the street, this supposition is not supported by facts.

[i claudius]

The people who sleep on the streets on the whole are the bottom of the barrel ,druggies. Work shy,and the drunks who live of their social, that the tax payer has to give to them ,so to be blunt I don't give a Shit.

[wondercul]

The people who sleep on the streets on the whole are the bottom of the barrel ,druggies. Work shy,and the drunks who live of their social, that the tax payer has to give to them ,so to be blunt I don't give a Shit.

However, you should give a shit. Want to know why? Because the worse the situation, the worse crime is. If you clean people off the street (and remember that most of the UK's wealth is now held by a tiny minority of people) by taxing the super rich, you reduce crime and make the cities safer for everyone. Your bicycle is less likely to be stolen if wealth inequality is made better. Or if you are a bit better off, your Ford / Mercedes is less likely to be vandalised.

Anyone born into an abusive family can end up as a drug addict or homeless. It's very hard for people to overcome negative upbringings without projects to get their life on track. Yes, some chose to live on the street, but most would not if they were given real help. The kind of help needed that has been de-funded by the Conservative government in order to make their friends even richer. Their whole policy is make themselves even riche, at the expense of the rest of the country.

Want proof and sources? Look for yourself, the list in endless if you open your mind: https://www.google.com/search?q=uk+wealth+inequality&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Link between crime and inequality: https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&q=uk+wealth+inequality+linked+to+crime

[i claudius]

Rubbish excuses,excuse,it's the rich people's fault, always the conservatives and their rich mates,and the Labour govt are all from poor families,take Miliband for instance, born in a cardboard box,and worked his way up Lol

[MaeJoMTB]

The people who sleep on the streets on the whole are the bottom of the barrel ,druggies. Work shy,and the drunks who live of their social, that the tax payer has to give to them ,so to be blunt I don't give a Shit.

However, you should give a shit. Want to know why? Because the worse the situation, the worse crime is. If you clean people off the street (and remember that most of the UK's wealth is now held by a tiny minority of people) by taxing the super rich, you reduce crime and make the cities safer for everyone. Your bicycle is less likely to be stolen if wealth inequality is made better. Or if you are a bit better off, your Ford / Mercedes is less likely to be vandalised.

Anyone born into an abusive family can end up as a drug addict or homeless. It's very hard for people to overcome negative upbringings without projects to get their life on track. Yes, some chose to live on the street, but most would not if they were given real help. The kind of help needed that has been de-funded by the Conservative government in order to make their friends even richer. Their whole policy is make themselves even riche, at the expense of the rest of the country.

Want proof and sources? Look for yourself, the list in endless if you open your mind: https://www.google.com/search?q=uk+wealth+inequality&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Link between crime and inequality: https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&q=uk+wealth+inequality+linked+to+crime

Just to point out to "I Claudius" you can't claim 'social' if you are homeless.

While there may in fact be many workshy, druggies and drunks in the UK that live off their 'social', none of those people would be homeless.

[i claudius]

Anyway as this is becoming boring ,I take it you read the Guardian as well,no offence ,but once again I don't give a monkeys,and judging by the response,neither do 99,% of the other readers,so best of luck hating those nasty Tory toffs

So By By

Edited March 3, 2015 by i claudius

[wondercul]

Anyway as this is becoming boring ,I take it you read the Guardian as well,no offence ,but once again I don't give a monkeys,and judging by the response,neither do 99,% of the other readers,so best of luck hating those nasty Tory toffs

So By By

Yeah, stuff does get boring when your emotionally tied beliefs are challenged by actual facts.

[NeverSure]

Income inequality.

People who are poor commit more crimes. People who commit crimes are poor. People who commit crimes get a police record. People who have a police record have trouble getting a good job.

People who drink too much are poor. People who are poor drink too much. People who are poor take more drugs. People who take too many drugs are poor.

People who don't have a job drink too much and take drugs. People who drink too much and take drugs don't have a job.

Bleeding hearts are everywhere and they have a job. People who drink too much, take drugs, commit crimes, and don't have a job are bleeding hearts for themselves.

This is a crazy world. This world is crazy. People who are crazy write stuff like this. People who write stuff like this are crazy.

[MaeJoMTB]

I don't know what you guys are going on about but generally homeless people in the UK are mentally ill.

They aren't lazy, druggies, drunks ..... they are mentally ill.

Without an home they aren't entitled to claim anything from the government.

They have very few options and tend to die very quickly of TB or pneumonia.

Those of you that are unsympathetic to their plight should be ashamed of yourselves.

In a civilized society people that have should be taking care of unfortunates like these, not criticizing them.

[lungbing]

TB was virtually eradicated from the UK and my elderly doctor told me that he had never seen a case. Then it was re-introduced by immigrants.

[JockPieandBeans]

The people who sleep on the streets on the whole are the bottom of the barrel ,druggies. Work shy,and the drunks who live of their social, that the tax payer has to give to them ,so to be blunt I don't give a Shit.

Your ignorance is truly outstanding.

One of the biggest % of homeless people in the UK are Ex-Servicemen.

One of the charities at the centre of The Independent’s appeal for Homeless Veterans received a major funding boost yesterday when Boris Johnson pledged £200,000 towards the renovation of its vital hostel for ex-servicemen in London.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/campaigns/homeless-veterans/homeless-veterans-appeal-boris-johnson-pledges-200000-in-major-boost-to-campaign-9993102.html

I'm positive that they would really appreciate you calling them the dregs of the barrel, druggies, workshy drunks.

Remove foot from mouth and try harder.

[i claudius]

Why should an Ex serviceman end up on the streets,with their pension and some benefits they could get accommodation,the fee who have mental problems I have sympathy for.but most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

Edited March 6, 2015 by i claudius

[elliss]

Income inequality.

People who are poor commit more crimes. People who commit crimes are poor. People who commit crimes get a police record. People who have a police record have trouble getting a good job.

People who drink too much are poor. People who are poor drink too much. People who are poor take more drugs. People who take too many drugs are poor.

People who don't have a job drink too much and take drugs. People who drink too much and take drugs don't have a job.

Bleeding hearts are everywhere and they have a job. People who drink too much, take drugs, commit crimes, and don't have a job are bleeding hearts for themselves.

This is a crazy world. This world is crazy. People who are crazy write stuff like this. People who write stuff like this are crazy.

I worked until I was 65 , and I drink too much ,

trying forget the stress , a working man had to endure.

The basic Law of Nature , is the survival of the fittest . The weakest are thrown out of the nest.

Softy Socialism , means failure .

No work No pay . put the great back into Britain.

The benefit system encourages the lame and lazy, to thrive in the UK.

All welcome , to claim benefits,

Edited March 21, 2015 by elliss

[i claudius]

All those on the streets were decent hard working people who dont drink or do drugs ,they were just thrown there by the nasty Tory toffs and their chums in buisness, if that hard working lad Milliband who comes from a poor working class familly and went to a run down inner city school and lived on a sink estate had his way they would all get lots of benifits and a house each so that they could live a nice decent life and drag themselves up by their bootstraps ,like he did ,anyway just off to read my Guardian ,love those recipes from a girl called jack then catch up with the right wing sorts at the BBC , DOWN WITH CLARKSON ,

[dragonfly94]

Too many homes have been given to 'asylum seekers' most of them are fake and should never have been given asylum in the first place. UK is seen as the land of free everything as long as you can get in, if you do the chances of ever being sent back have been slim.

[JB300]

Wasn't a lot of homelessness caused by the so called "Care in the Community" for people with mental issues

[AyG]

most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

Living on the streets is extremely hard, and people turn to alcohol or sniffing glue to cope. It's often not the addiction that causes the homelessness.

A few years ago, as I was coming out of a gay pub, I was approached by a young man, perhaps 18, who offered me a blow job for ten quid. It was an offer I declined. However, we got chatting, and he told me he was homeless. He'd been thrown out of the family home for being gay. He'd also had major heart surgery. (He was very keen to show me the enormous scar on his chest.) He also told me that the available night shelters (and this was in London) were often full, so he'd have to sleep in doorways. That's no way for any teenager (or indeed anyone) to have to live. I think we'd all be better off with a little more compassion and a little less condemnation.

[dragonfly94]

better off with a bit more skepticism more like, some people will believe anything

[i claudius]

most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

Living on the streets is extremely hard, and people turn to alcohol or sniffing glue to cope. It's often not the addiction that causes the homelessness.

A few years ago, as I was coming out of a gay pub, I was approached by a young man, perhaps 18, who offered me a blow job for ten quid. It was an offer I declined. However, we got chatting, and he told me he was homeless. He'd been thrown out of the family home for being gay. He'd also had major heart surgery. (He was very keen to show me the enormous scar on his chest.) He also told me that the available night shelters (and this was in London) were often full, so he'd have to sleep in doorways. That's no way for any teenager (or indeed anyone) to have to live. I think we'd all be better off with a little more compassion and a little less condemnation.

Yes and it was all the fault of the fairies at the bottom of his garden .,

[JockPieandBeans]

Why should an Ex serviceman end up on the streets,with their pension and some benefits they could get accommodation,the fee who have mental problems I have sympathy for.but most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

This post just highlights your ignorance, or should that be arrogance ?

You assume that all Ex Servicemen get pensions. No, They don't.

Those that are in receipt of a pension have so on 2 grounds. They completed their full service, which now means that they will NEVER get any benefits whatsoever. Or, they were pensioned out on medical grounds.

Unfortunately, those pensioned out on medical grounds have in the past been treated like sh!te. Although, thankfully that is now getting better. Those few that have mental problems ( PTSD ) are far from a few. In a very high % of these cases, it is a direct result of their service, and perhaps a bottle or stoned are the only way they have of blotting out their demons.

Their choice, their problem ? Wrong. It is the Governments problem.

[i claudius]

Why should an Ex serviceman end up on the streets,with their pension and some benefits they could get accommodation,the fee who have mental problems I have sympathy for.but most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

This post just highlights your ignorance, or should that be arrogance ?

You assume that all Ex Servicemen get pensions. No, They don't.

Those that are in receipt of a pension have so on 2 grounds. They completed their full service, which now means that they will NEVER get any benefits whatsoever. Or, they were pensioned out on medical grounds.

Unfortunately, those pensioned out on medical grounds have in the past been treated like sh!te. Although, thankfully that is now getting better. Those few that have mental problems ( PTSD ) are far from a few. In a very high % of these cases, it is a direct result of their service, and perhaps a bottle or stoned are the only way they have of blotting out their demons.

Their choice, their problem ? Wrong. It is the Governments problem.

Why is it always someone else to blame?

[JockPieandBeans]

Why should an Ex serviceman end up on the streets,with their pension and some benefits they could get accommodation,the fee who have mental problems I have sympathy for.but most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

This post just highlights your ignorance, or should that be arrogance ?

You assume that all Ex Servicemen get pensions. No, They don't.

Those that are in receipt of a pension have so on 2 grounds. They completed their full service, which now means that they will NEVER get any benefits whatsoever. Or, they were pensioned out on medical grounds.

Unfortunately, those pensioned out on medical grounds have in the past been treated like sh!te. Although, thankfully that is now getting better. Those few that have mental problems ( PTSD ) are far from a few. In a very high % of these cases, it is a direct result of their service, and perhaps a bottle or stoned are the only way they have of blotting out their demons.

Their choice, their problem ? Wrong. It is the Governments problem.

Why is it always someone else to blame?

Rightly or wrongly, when Governments take the decision to send Service Personnel into hell holes. They are responsible for the care and rehabilitation of those that suffer the untold damage of that decision.

Is that so difficult to understand ?

[Rancid]

Income inequality.

People who are poor commit more crimes. People who commit crimes are poor.

Then how do you explain criminal bankers?

[mogandave]

"...give them the shirt off someone else's back."

[i claudius]

Why should an Ex serviceman end up on the streets,with their pension and some benefits they could get accommodation,the fee who have mental problems I have sympathy for.but most of the people I have ever seen on the streets usually seem to be clutching a bottle or are stoned,,their choice their problem

This post just highlights your ignorance, or should that be arrogance ?

You assume that all Ex Servicemen get pensions. No, They don't.

Those that are in receipt of a pension have so on 2 grounds. They completed their full service, which now means that they will NEVER get any benefits whatsoever. Or, they were pensioned out on medical grounds.

Unfortunately, those pensioned out on medical grounds have in the past been treated like sh!te. Although, thankfully that is now getting better. Those few that have mental problems ( PTSD ) are far from a few. In a very high % of these cases, it is a direct result of their service, and perhaps a bottle or stoned are the only way they have of blotting out their demons.

Their choice, their problem ? Wrong. It is the Governments problem.

Why is it always someone else to blame?

Rightly or wrongly, when Governments take the decision to send Service Personnel into hell holes. They are responsible for the care and rehabilitation of those that suffer the untold damage of that decision.

Is that so difficult to understand ?

This started out about the "terrible Tories" I doubt there are so many ex servicemen on the streets,because those nasty Tories forced them there,in fact it was traitor Blair and the Labour party sent them off to fight not the Tories