68,000 homeless in Britain, and it's going to get worse

According to tonight's news there are now 68,000 homeless in Britain, a huge increase on previous figures.

In a country that is supposed to be the fifth richest in the world, I find that a disgraceful statistic. Also according to the news if the current government doesn't change its policies quickly, it's going to get a whole lot worse, predicting quarter of a million within 5 years..

In the same broadcast, news that in spite of increasing profits, Amazon is now paying less tax than ever, and it wasn't paying much in the first place.

...What is wrong with this country...?

According to tonight's news there are now 68,000 homeless in Britain, a huge increase on previous figures.

 

In a country that is supposed to be the fifth richest in the world, I find that a disgraceful statistic. Also according to the news if the current government doesn't change its policies quickly, it's going to get a whole lot worse, predicting quarter of a million within 5 years..

 

In the same broadcast, news that in spite of increasing profits, Amazon is now paying less tax than ever, and it wasn't paying much in the first place.

 

...What is wrong with this country...?

Not a lot, apart from the vast influx of people orchestrated by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and their mates. Surprised it is so low really.

Gets tin hat and waits for accusations of being racist.

Not a lot, apart from the vast influx of people orchestrated by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and their mates. Surprised it is so low really.

 

Gets tin hat and waits for accusations of being racist.

Which people don't you want in the country?

Two posts in and its already turned into an immigration debate

because you talk alot and never stand for anything, that's the country you live in, you think 250,000 is bad, wait for the real kicking when the banks roll out in 2020 , get ready to manufacture guys, like ALOT!

because you talk alot and never stand for anything, that's the country you live in, you think 250,000 is bad, wait for the real kicking when the banks roll out in 2020 , get ready to manufacture guys, like ALOT!

A few thousand houses wouldn't be a bad start.

Not a lot, apart from the vast influx of people orchestrated by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and their mates. Surprised it is so low really.

 

Gets tin hat and waits for accusations of being racist.

The highest net immigration under Labour was less than 250,000 per year; under the Conservatives it reached over 350,000 per year

https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-paper/355

---------- Post added 10-08-2017 at 21:31 ----------

Two posts in and its already turned into an immigration debate

I blame those nasty Tories

---------- Post added 10-08-2017 at 21:36 ----------

In a country that is supposed to be the fifth richest in the world, I find that a disgraceful statistic. Also according to the news if the current government doesn't change its policies quickly, it's going to get a whole lot worse, predicting quarter of a million within 5 years..

 

If you look at other ways of measuring the UKs wealth, we are the 9th richest.

But the theory of wealth trickling down to the poor is false; the poor are being exploited.

More homelessness means more spent fixing our society, we should have policies that help those at the bottom of the pay scale. Just giving them more money may not help.

Banks rolling out? From a 10 trillion £ industry?

A few thousand houses wouldn't be a bad start.

As would a redefinition of homelessness. Living at grandma's house doesn't make you homeless!*

*unless you voted Labour

Got there ahead of me.

I would quite like to know what statistics and data source has been used to create this nice little newsworthy headline grabbing article in the middle of quiet season for the media.

Are we talking genuine "street" homeless here or just anyone who the hysterics define as homeless just because they dont happen to own a two up two down in the suburbs.

Stats can be minipulated to whatever agenda you want.

Bearing in mind the many articles over the past few weeks from exactly the same media outlets screaming about house prices falling month on month and a general slow down of house value growth, there is a big grey area going on here.

Interestingly if you google the words "68,000 homeless" the top result is this very thread and second result is a single link to a report from the US Government Accountability Office about homeless level in youths and children. Not one media page says anything about such figures applying to people in Britain.

Coincidently the BBC reported recently that the magic number of "68,000" familes are allegely affected by the lower annual welfare cap

the last line of which states:

".....And charity Shelter called for the cap to be scrapped immediately, saying it was pushing families "to the brink of homelessness..."

Hmmm. All seems a bit fishy to me. A journalist muddling some data to try and get a good story. A producer getting their data all topsy turvy getting the wrong end of the stick. A charity using irrelevant stats to make a point and try and boost their profile.

Channel 4 have come up with an 'innovative' solution to the shortage of housing. In it's new programme 'Get A House For Free', C4 has brought together a businessman interested in helping others, and 3 'contestants' all have difficulties re housing: Jo, a woman losing her eyesight, a family of Syrian refugees, and Holly and her daughter Bethany – who were all in need of a home.

Well it isn't for the want of empty houses, there are thousands more empty houses in the country than there are homeless people.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjpv-Pexs3VAhVIIsAKHTFsDrsQFggtMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2F2017%2F02%2F03%2Fnumber-empty-homes-hits-highest-rate-20-years-calling-question%2F&usg=AFQjCNEYW8Q9majjk5gFM2I27ts1aHpDMA

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjpv-Pexs3VAhVIIsAKHTFsDrsQFghiMAk&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fampp3d%2Fhousing-crisis-10-empty-homes-5008151&usg=AFQjCNEayvJBTYoqk0mI1VxPJxCOoG-mUQ

Taking into consideration that the figure of 68,000 does not consist of 68,000 individual people each one requiring a home of their own then that reduces the total of houses needed.

Allowing for the fact that the Mirrors over the top claim of there being 'Ten houses for every homeless person ' includes second homes and privately owned but little used apartments in the more salubrious parts of the country, which it would require draconian laws to requisition there are still sufficient properties to house the homeless.

Not quite as simple as that I'll grant you.

Many of the properties need repair and there needs to be some form of payment for the use of these homes.

Also 10% of homeless people in this country are ex forces and I would imagine that they also require some kind of mental health support as no doubt will many other of the homeless.