Monday 1 November 2010

In Britain today who really cares about anybody else.
5% of the population probably have a social conscience, the rest don't care if your dying in the gutter.
A huge proportion of the population, if they can find work, are paid less than they need to live on.
My son is paid £6 an hour, takes home £210 per week - his rent is £600 per month and council tax £130.
It costs him £25 per week to get to work. He is left £100 per month for gas, electric, water rates and food. Yet this is considered adequate, as he does not qualify for housing benefit, or council tax benefit. The calculation on income is perversely made using gross income which provides an inaccurate picture of money left after housing costs.
My son now faces eviction because he cannot meet the rent!!
The thing is he was ok when unemployed. As soon as he got a job he now faces the streets.
The local council have told him when he is evicted he can go to a night shelter if there is a place, but he was told there are no spaces so he will have to sleep rough.
What a country - what is the difference between now and 1910?
The governments who have no compassion for homeless adults have done nothing to remedy the housing crisis. They talk about affordable housing, affordable to who. Affordable apparently is approx £150K for a two bed flat - how can you afford that on £6 per hour?
Duncan-Smith talks about people getting a job and getting off benefits, but the reality of it is the whole structure does not allow adults without children to come off benefits.
I have recently become unemployed for the first time in 25 years. I have not claimed any benefit as yet as I am looking for work, but I have discovered all the jobs are £6 max for unskilled work, and nobody wants to employ an over 45 year old for manual work.
When my redundancy runs out I will face the streets as well as I will not be able to meet my rent, and as my son has found out, the welfare state does not exist any more when it comes to childless adults.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE WELFARE STATE?
Before some highflying moron, similar to the clowns on The Apprentice, says that people should stand on their own two feet, let me say this. The modern era of £6 per hour for all is a consequence of capitalist Britain. The EU policy of free movement allows a plentiful labour pool that keeps employers costs to a minimum. This benefits the employer only, not the employee, as he/she has to live on the crumbs whist the top dog is on millions. The poor are trapped and things are getting worse.
There needs to be a massive homes building program put in place, pre-fabs if necessary, similar to what happened post 1945.
This has not happened because this will drive down house prices, the banks don't want this, because the value of the property loans are secured will result in their balance sheets looking unhealthy.
The governments know that a huge drive for real affordable housing - £60 per week rents - will anger the middle classes, as their homes, now worth £250K may half in value, and as we know, as it was in 1910, the government is only interested in the middle and upper classes.
As for the poor "let them eat cake" #

# a quote for those who don't know from a famous upper class twit!