Homeless in Stafford Town

daz100

Well-Known Forumite
I cannot help but fail to notice the homeless people camping in doorways in the town centre. The character of the town (if ever there was one) appears to have plummeted and I cannot understand why these people have not been offered support. I thought our council had some sort of nationally recognised homeless strategy.
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
I think you'll find that there is homeless people living in every town centre. I was in Lincoln on Saturday and there was a tent on a bit of grass in the city centre that someone was living in.

Austerity bites...
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
We need all our money for HS2 and tax cuts for corporations, don't expect it to get any better. I read something today that said the average council has lost 30% of it's funding to treat addiction in the last few years.
 

cj1

Well-Known Forumite
Aren't all the homeless in the town centre intentionally homeless? I.e have access to shelter but for whatever reason turn it down.
 
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proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I think you'll find that there is homeless people living in every town centre. I was in Lincoln on Saturday and there was a tent on a bit of grass in the city centre that someone was living in.

Austerity bites...
Not just a UK problem. Same in France and Hungary, to name but two.
 

GeneralGreivous

A few posts under my belt
Aren't all the homeless in the town centre intentionally homeless. I.e have access to shelter but for whatever reason turn it down.

I think that's an incredibly presumptuous thing to say, and rather unfair.

I am sure that there are those declining shelter for whatever reason they may have, but to tar all homeless folk with the same brush is the exact kind of damning opinion that has caused a lot of the mess the entire country is in right now.
 

cj1

Well-Known Forumite
If you believe somebody is unintentionally homeless you / they can call 01785 619170 or visit SBC housing team who can provide emergency accommodation.
 

WHarris

Well-Known Forumite
Aren't all the homeless in the town centre intentionally homeless. I.e have access to shelter but for whatever reason turn it down.

This may be an unpopular opinion but sadly it is often the case, I have worked in organisations that strive to support people in these situations and unfortunately for every one person who genuinely cannot cope, even with the help provided there are 20 who are intentionally homeless, usually because they don't like the limitations that come with getting support.

I know people on this forum love to blame austerity and successive governments and everything else under the sun, but ultimately what it boils down to is personal responsibility and preference of choice, if you need shelter and support as a person with no fixed abode, the council or a number of charities will help you.

However if you don't want to live by the rules that those organisations impose as part of receiving that help, then you have made a choice.
 

Tilly

Well-Known Forumite
One might like to use the search facility ( words of 4 letters or more ) to see what has been written around this subject previously

It's substantial and I'd hate you to miss out
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
This may be an unpopular opinion but sadly it is often the case, I have worked in organisations that strive to support people in these situations and unfortunately for every one person who genuinely cannot cope, even with the help provided there are 20 who are intentionally homeless, usually because they don't like the limitations that come with getting support.

I know people on this forum love to blame austerity and successive governments and everything else under the sun, but ultimately what it boils down to is personal responsibility and preference of choice, if you need shelter and support as a person with no fixed abode, the council or a number of charities will help you.

However if you don't want to live by the rules that those organisations impose as part of receiving that help, then you have made a choice.

I’m totally agreeing with @WHarris here.

There is support out there for those that need it, but a majority don’t actually want to be helped (for various reasons).
Not everyone on the street has to be on the street.

Austerity doesn't mean everyone is unintentionally homeless, but it is surely making more homeless than previously? Otherwise we would have always had this many on the streets.

Austerity shouldn’t equal homelessness.
Going back years and years, people took jobs, people looked after each other. Were this many people homeless in the 30,s or 40.s when austerity was at its highest?

There is definitely a culture nowadays of “someone else will provide”

I do however have every sympathy for those that through no fault of their own find themselves on the streets and without support.
 
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Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Also, on a similar subject, I was speaking to someone about a cleaning job.

She said “I can’t take on any more cleaning jobs, it will affect my benefits”.

So apparently some people, who could work full time, choose to work part time, with a benefits lifestyle.

The rest of us that work (or worked) are expected to subside this in our tax.

How can this be right?

Someone actually choosing to be part time but claiming benefits?


Edited to say that I’m not knocking anyone who genuinely needs to claim. That’s what the system is for.
My gripe is against those who can work but choose not to.
Choosing benefits as a lifestyle choice as an option instead of working.
 
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Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Christ. I darent imagine what you lot would think of a universal basic income.

Someone point me towards the left wingers.

You really need to clarify your post.

Who are you referring to when you say “you lot”?

Also, it’s generally considered polite when joining a forum to say “hello’ before going full on with the attitude.
 

GeneralGreivous

A few posts under my belt
You really need to clarify your post.

Who are you referring to when you say “you lot”?

Also, it’s generally considered polite when joining a forum to say “hello’ before going full on with the attitude.

Meh. Why waste time with the pleasantries. I've been a long time observer of this forum, but I bit the bullet when I saw homeless people being dragged across the coals.

There are extremes in every social group. Homeless people included. And to start dragging in the folk on benefits and accuse them of sapping our taxes.

I have a friend. She has two kids. An absolute sham of a husband who she has separated with. She works part time. She receives benefits. So she should...not receive those benefits? Or work full time and not be able to care for her two children on her own?

People are quick to criticise but not to look at root causes, affecting factors, and so forth.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I know someone who was on the streets through "choice" a few years ago - because he felt safer than he did in the alternative accommodation situation that was on offer.
 

Perrier

Banned
Yup , it's a sad state of affairs isn't it.

Next it will be those disabled people claiming personal independence payments to help them manage a modicum of normal life.


..... oh wait.
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
perhaps more could be done (tax breaks ?) to encourage business to form groups to fund ventures like house of bread or the macari shelter as part of their corporate social responsibility
 
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