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Why don't homeless people claim housing benefit?

My vague understanding is that people without employment are able to claim jsa and housing benefit. So I wonder why people eligible for benefits end up sleeping rough? There are not just unemployed people in hostels, or renting a room, but some are able to claim for a flat via housing benefit.
Reply 1
Avatar for Juno
Juno
20
You need an address to get housing benefit. If you're homeless, you don't have an address.

You can't just get one as you need to pay deposits and afford to live until your benefits are sorted, but it's not as simple as finding a friend with a sofa either.
Original post by Juno
You need an address to get housing benefit. If you're homeless, you don't have an address.

You can't just get one as you need to pay deposits and afford to live until your benefits are sorted, but it's not as simple as finding a friend with a sofa either.


This - it's a vicious cycle. They can't get a job without an address either.
Original post by ctrl.abandon
So... what are their options? Never realised it was so complicated :confused:


Unfortunately they don't have many options, they rely on homeless shelters to get them back into the community, but even then it's not easy. It's also officially illegal to sleep on the streets, and the Westminster government are thinking about banning soup kitchens. You can always judge a society by how they treat their most vulnerable......
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by ctrl.abandon
So... what are their options? Never realised it was so complicated :confused:


There are charities that offer half-way-houses and temporary overnight accommodation etc.
no idea, something to do with no having a house lol, but yeh, its hard to get a house if you aint got a job and its hard to get a job if you aint got a house/place to live so they are pretty much screwed but i think there are ways that they can help themselves, carehomes and stuff :/
Reply 6
Avatar for boba
boba
Original post by Marinated_in_Joy
Unfortunately they don't have many options, they rely on homeless shelters to get them back into the community, but even then it's not easy. It's also officially illegal to sleep on the streets, and the Westminster government are thinking about banning soup kitchens. You can always judge a society by how they treat their most vulnerable......


how can you ban people giving away food :s-smilie:
Original post by boba
how can you ban people giving away food :s-smilie:


My thoughts exactly. Read this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/28/westminster-council-soup-run-ban
Plus there's a shortage of council houses anyway, and those that do exist are prioritised for families with children and the vulnerable. The vast majority of homeless are men, so they tend to be left behind
The reasons why people end up being homeless are often very complicated, and once someone becomes homeless, it is often very hard to get them back in to housing, even if the right help is available (which it often isn't). I spent some time working at a day centre for homeless people, and one of the staff members claimed that everyone there could get somewhere to live if they really wanted to (by getting benefits etc). From my limited understanding, many of those who are homeless have had a really hard time and lots of complicated factors have put them where they are, and its not as simple as just giving them housing benefit. They may be so used to that lifestyle that they can't image changing it, they may fear being given something because they do not believe that it will last, and it is often hard to get them to engage with the support services that are available, because they have been messed around so much in the past that they don't trust them any more. I'm not going to claim I have a great understanding of these thing because I really don't, but the causes of homelessness are so much more complicated than just not being able to afford a flat.

And to my knowledge homeless shelters are a bit rubbish, those who run them are great and offering a valuable service, but there aren't enough beds, you have to queue for ages and follow a lot of rules, and you can often ended up surrounded by people you would perhaps rather not share a room with, and so it's often not an appealing option.
(edited 12 years ago)
They like the weather outside?
Like others have said before me it is a vicious cycle you can't claim benefits without an address, you can't get an address without finance/cash and you can't get finance or cash without getting a job which you need an address for.

That is why some homeless people go to stealing items or food just so they can survive. Also most people say regarding this subject why don't they go to family or why don't they go to friends. This is ok in the short while but not in the long run as people get fed up of you being around or you feel like a burden.

Got to agree with marinated in joy if this country abandons the people that need it most then the country/leaders should not be idolized. There are a lot of things that can be done to help get rid of homelessness however the government doesn't seem to want to help.
I am a landlord with several bedsits and often a tenant receiving housing benefits will not pay his rent.The council will not pay hb direct to me as they feel
I'm fed up with charities and people saying it's complicated. You want to help someone? Well pay the deposit on a cheap bedsit and the initial rent for them till they get housing benefit, and jobseekers allowance and a job to pay you back for the loan.Seems to me homeless charities have a vested interest on keeping people on the streets
Original post by Fusion
My vague understanding is that people without employment are able to claim jsa and housing benefit. So I wonder why people eligible for benefits end up sleeping rough? There are not just unemployed people in hostels, or renting a room, but some are able to claim for a flat via housing benefit.


Unfortunately, theres a disgusting loophole that has kept me and people I know and dont know homeless/unaccommodated if not fully on the streets. This isnt just to answer OP, this is to anyone.

First thing is time period. You can't go to them if you've been evicted and need to start searching. You can only go the day you are removed out of the home with no keys. That's why you might see so many of them queuing and kipping in the seating area. They just got there and are made to wait. When the place closes or if they wait too long, they are emotionally made to leave until the next day meaning homeless on the streets or sleepless nights being evicted "what am i gonna do?"

Then, is reason. "Intentionally homeless" or not. Intentionally homeless means you left on ur own accord, or didn't pay rent, or got urself removed from the home or accommodation. Intentionally homeless people WILL be turned away, no ifs, ands, buts. Which is a shame because not paying rent means a lot of the times that u cant afford it, and this can be proved to no sympathy at all.

Then is circumstance. Are you old, disabled, with children, a minor, a battered woman (rare). You still have to wait and might not get what you want where you want it, but you are top priority, citizen or not. Unfortunately I have seen people give mismatched accoms to people! I know a homeless 50-something mad, who looked like he really needed accommodation. But thats because he was sleeping rough and looked like ****. He had no wife or kids since a long time divorce. Yet because of his age he was given a grand and brand spanking new large apartment...:hmmm: he walked out happy, passed a woman single with three kids and a disability and a minimum wage job contesting the slum she was given...:hmmm: why did an old man with no kids no job no future get a fancy remodeled loft and she got a low rise slum that she said had mould...?! this system is :toofunny:

Then there's if you're not a citizen, you have way less qualifications to meet. Just have kids, even if no job at home or one lined up here. Or have no kids but prove that you are looking for work...that's it.

So basically, the best bet is be a foreign woman with kids and no job, or old, and you will get speedy accommodation, good or bad.

Original post by Ken Hughes
I'm fed up with charities and people saying it's complicated. You want to help someone? Well pay the deposit on a cheap bedsit and the initial rent for them till they get housing benefit, and jobseekers allowance and a job to pay you back for the loan.Seems to me homeless charities have a vested interest on keeping people on the streets


they get paid and funded by the case because non profits and the public sector are kept open by legitimacy through demand. if there's less cases, there's no demand and no need for them. it's pretty sad and terrifying actually that the people u need to help you or paid to not help you, or to prolong helping you to legitimise their job. they should be paid by success rate not head count!

that being said, old thread bruh, even though this is a constant theme in society.

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