Limon Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/01/london-rough-sleepers-double-in-five-years?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other The number of rough sleepers on London’s streets has more than doubled in five years because of a “toxic mix” of cuts, government failure and a lack of support for people arriving from EU countries, according to figures from a network of charities.Statistics show that the number of people sleeping on the capital’s streets has risen to more than 7,500 in 2015, up from 3,673 in 2009-10. The number of rough sleepers across England as a whole has also risen, though the problem is more acute in London. Statistics released by the Department for Communities and Local Government(DCLG) earlier this year show that across the UK 2,744 people slept rough on any one night in 2014 - up 14% on the previous 12 months. Homeless charity Crisis said the rise was caused by cuts to benefits, a chronic housing shortage and the “longstanding legal injustice” where many homeless people are not considered a priority for help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Clear sign of recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidg Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Do they break the figures down between Roma beggars and locals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverwhere Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 According to the DCLG document linked to in the article, in 2014: London had 742 rough sleepers, which accounted for 27% of the national figure. Not sure where they are getting the larger figures from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 (edited) Search ban rough sleeping, gives an area a bad name, not good for marketing and selling an area or dare I say house prices...so brush it under the carpet.....what can't be seen doesn't exist. Edited January 1, 2016 by winkie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repetitive bleats Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Great to see that Boris hit his stated target of zero homeless in London - is there any objective that these Bullingdon clowns have actually managed to achieve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sikejsudjek Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 25% of them are probably ex-servicemen, many with PSD who can't get treatment. Cameron and IDS will cause the deaths of far more UK citizens than ISIS ever will. More reasons why I'll never vote for this bunch of clowns - they seem to find money to throw at the city of London and pointless foreign wars, but don't give a shit about the 99% or the troops they so gleefully send off to fight corporate wars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Well there's something increasing faster than London house prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyguy Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 25% of them are probably ex-servicemen, many with PSD who can't get treatment. Cameron and IDS will cause the deaths of far more UK citizens than ISIS ever will. More reasons why I'll never vote for this bunch of clowns - they seem to find money to throw at the city of London and pointless foreign wars, but don't give a shit about the 99% or the troops they so gleefully send off to fight corporate wars. No the majority will be Roma and misc. EEs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidg Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 No the majority will be Roma and misc. EEs. That's what I assumed having watched a number of BBC programmes covering the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtomsilver Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 No the majority will be Roma and misc. EEs. +1 that 25% ex-services homeless figure was banded around way back in the nineties. With our crazy immigration/hug a bearded 12 year old refugee policies the demographics of London's homeless has changed. I'm very cynical of indigenous homeless people as really there is a safety net to stop this kind of thing happening and begging can be very profitable. £80 a day is typical and on the right patch some can make £400. It's nothing more than a pity occupational all but for the very few of genuinely mentally ill who could well be the ex-services spoken of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Wonder what the policy is on shelters and animals. Every homeless man I see has a dog (or three). Having to worry about 3 dogs can hardly make things easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Wonder what the policy is on shelters and animals. Every homeless man I see has a dog (or three). Having to worry about 3 dogs can hardly make things easier. ....because animals are more loyal and trusting than many people are....also a good hot water bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashmonitor Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Most of the time, this seemed a bit of an odd case yesterday especially given the age, sex and status of the person...he was the owner. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35210519 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 +1 that 25% ex-services homeless figure was banded around way back in the nineties. With our crazy immigration/hug a bearded 12 year old refugee policies the demographics of London's homeless has changed. I'm very cynical of indigenous homeless people as really there is a safety net to stop this kind of thing happening and begging can be very profitable. £80 a day is typical and on the right patch some can make £400. It's nothing more than a pity occupational all but for the very few of genuinely mentally ill who could well be the ex-services spoken of. Indeed there will be a few but support and assistance from organisations like the British Legion and H4H have helped enormously in the interim. Pretty much these days if you find an ex serviceman on the streets it is because he wants to be there. He will certainly have turned down offered assistance. The law as it is means you can only offer assistance to these lads not force them to take it, unless the become a danger to themselves or others (sectioned). In the warmer Months there seems to be legions of roma camping out in Hyde Park alongside Park Lane for the rich pickings begging from the London Arab Qtr. I would guess 90% of the figure would be EU citizens unable to support themselves. Nice of the Guardian to imply they should be given taxpayer assistance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Most of the time, this seemed a bit of an odd case yesterday especially given the age, sex and status of the person...he was the owner. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35210519 Mail reports the lad was having an epileptic fit at the time. I suspect the dog became agitated because of or thoughy he was playing with him and nipped a vital artery..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomberbrown Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I'm an ex servicemen left in 1994 so can only speak of my experience 20 years ago, but then there was absolutely NO SUPPORT housing wise. My own LA (Coventry, where I signed up to the army) were not interested in my council lists application a year before I left the army as I already was homed. I could only submit it once the day I left and was homeless. I was lucky and had friends and family, I'm sure there were ex squaddies not as fortunate as me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 (edited) I'm an ex servicemen left in 1994 so can only speak of my experience 20 years ago, but then there was absolutely NO SUPPORT housing wise. My own LA (Coventry, where I signed up to the army) were not interested in my council lists application a year before I left the army as I already was homed. I could only submit it once the day I left and was homeless. I was lucky and had friends and family, I'm sure there were ex squaddies not as fortunate as me. Single blokes (not sure if this was you?) have always been forced to the back of the council housing ques. On the flip side I can recall when my old man came out in the early 70's after doing 22 in the RN with the family (2 kids under 13) he was fast tracked to the top of the list and we were in a house before he was handing his kit in Pompey. The focus these days is for the likes of the Legion to offer funds and loans to get homeless singlies into the private rental sector and pushing that on with assisting with seeking employment (and paying for training where it is appropriate), the adage why give a man a fish where he can only feed himself for a day, far better to teach him to fish ect applies. Counselling and mental health support is also provided where it is required. I would like to think these days that 'The Military Covenant' allows councils to treat forces leavers with priority when they are leaving the services. Edited January 2, 2016 by geezer466 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyguy Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Connect to the 'Tax credit sad face' thread. 30-odd years of having a needs-based. non-contribution based welfare system has destroyed the UK. The more dysfunctional a family is, the more it gets. Move to a welfare system that reqards people for being in work and looking after their kids. Put the dysfunction families into last-chance hostel. Put their kids into care if they fck and give the parents nothing. Care may be a sh1t place to grow up but it preferable to the bottom 10% of families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Housing has become way way too expensive. Wages have stagnated. Public expenditure is being cut. More people have become homeless. Pretty simple really - attempting to shift blame onto pet hates / pretend it isn't happening / only happening to the undeserving, particularly on this site, just comes across as complacent at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 .....anyway millions of people are homeless, no shame....whilst there are a growing number of hoarders that can't manage the many that they are trying to collect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Housing has become way way too expensive. Wages have stagnated. Public expenditure is being cut. More people have become homeless. Pretty simple really - attempting to shift blame onto pet hates / pretend it isn't happening / only happening to the undeserving, particularly on this site, just comes across as complacent at best. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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