The Homeless and substandard housing

Shandypants

Shandypants

Well-known member
Today I was in Preston for the first time in ages, although the following scene could have been played out in any town or city. I parked at Avenham car park and noted the presence of a rough sleeper who looked in a poor state. I checked he was OK and gave him the little change I had, it was only £2 but he was very grateful. We got chatting, he was 59 and been homeless since last October when his landlord kicked him out, his story was grim, he has arthritis and paranoid schizophrenia, but not had any medication for months. I've agreed to get him a waterproof coat and pants and he wept at this point, he's clearly not used to people trying to help. I asked him if he could get into a shelter and he says he hadn't got a phone, it struck me that during the pandemic how would he be able to source help without a phone or email? Just been on Preston councils website to try and get some assistance, I'll see what I can do but I've a feeling I'll be pissing in the wind, I'll do my best.
I've also seen the itv news tonight about the state of social housing, mould everywhere etc.
It struck me that we are failing miserably with our poorest and most vulnerable in society, its disgusting.
The housing shortage is a national disgrace, in 1970 50% of new housing was built by the state. Every new development seems to be 400k 4 bed detached houses, I accept that homelessness will never be fully eradicated but I feel ashamed tonight.
 
Shandypants said:
Today I was in Preston for the first time in ages, although the following scene could have been played out in any town or city. I parked at Avenham car park and noted the presence of a rough sleeper who looked in a poor state. I checked he was OK and gave him the little change I had, it was only £2 but he was very grateful. We got chatting, he was 59 and been homeless since last October when his landlord kicked him out, his story was grim, he has arthritis and paranoid schizophrenia, but not had any medication for months. I've agreed to get him a waterproof coat and pants and he wept at this point, he's clearly not used to people trying to help. I asked him if he could get into a shelter and he says he hadn't got a phone, it struck me that during the pandemic how would he be able to source help without a phone or email? Just been on Preston councils website to try and get some assistance, I'll see what I can do but I've a feeling I'll be pissing in the wind, I'll do my best.
I've also seen the itv news tonight about the state of social housing, mould everywhere etc.
It struck me that we are failing miserably with our poorest and most vulnerable in society, its disgusting.
The housing shortage is a national disgrace, in 1970 50% of new housing was built by the state. Every new development seems to be 400k 4 bed detached houses, I accept that homelessness will never be fully eradicated but I feel ashamed tonight.
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Yes I watched the ITV 10pm news utterly embarrassing.
A 6 month report just published shows thousands of people in this country are living in absolute squaller.
You just don’t think things like this exist in the 21st century in a country like ours
Yet the government is throwing millions at finding housing for thousands of asylum seekers.
Some things just don’t add up anymore. 🤬
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Yes I watched the ITV 10pm news
A 6 month report just published shows thousands of people in this country are living in absolute squaller.
You just don’t think things like this exist in the the 21st century in a country like ours
Yet the government is throwing millions at finding housing for thousands of asylum seekers.
Some things just don’t add up anymore. 🤬
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I was rather hoping this wasn't going to turn into asylum seeker bashing. We should be helping both.
 
Shandypants said:
I was rather hoping this wasn't going to turn into asylum seeker bashing. We should be helping both.
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I haven’t got an issue helping both but top of any list should be our own people first and foremost.
I said in another thread I bet some of these poor souls would swap places with an asylum seeker just to get out of their shit holes and live somewhere dry and clean and 3 square meals a day and no worries how to pay the next bill.
 
Last edited:
I’m selfish.
I don’t want more houses building, I don’t want more roads, schools or hospitals. Id prefer to see a reduction in the number of people on this earth destroying the limited resources available. If the population fell in this country by 20% then we’d have enough capacity to house those in need
 
Shandypants said:
Today I was in Preston for the first time in ages, although the following scene could have been played out in any town or city. I parked at Avenham car park and noted the presence of a rough sleeper who looked in a poor state. I checked he was OK and gave him the little change I had, it was only £2 but he was very grateful. We got chatting, he was 59 and been homeless since last October when his landlord kicked him out, his story was grim, he has arthritis and paranoid schizophrenia, but not had any medication for months. I've agreed to get him a waterproof coat and pants and he wept at this point, he's clearly not used to people trying to help. I asked him if he could get into a shelter and he says he hadn't got a phone, it struck me that during the pandemic how would he be able to source help without a phone or email? Just been on Preston councils website to try and get some assistance, I'll see what I can do but I've a feeling I'll be pissing in the wind, I'll do my best.
I've also seen the itv news tonight about the state of social housing, mould everywhere etc.
It struck me that we are failing miserably with our poorest and most vulnerable in society, its disgusting.
The housing shortage is a national disgrace, in 1970 50% of new housing was built by the state. Every new development seems to be 400k 4 bed detached houses, I accept that homelessness will never be fully eradicated but I feel ashamed tonight.
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I think that’s amazing and every credit to you 🥰

Most schizophrenics can’t stay well or safe without medication. Unfortunately a lot decide not to take it as it numbs all of your emotions.

I hope he gets back on the meds ASAP and gets back in touch with the crisis team who I hope would help to stabilise him and support him with his journey back to wellness.

Well done you. It takes compassion just to make a minute of your time available to show some basic level of empathy and humanity.
 
The clowncil set up a team of enforcers checking landlords a few years ago,quite a few were caught and fined for condition of properties. Shame the Blackpool council housing group were not invited for checks. Loads more housing going up on the moss,plenty of room for social housing estates.
 
Lala said:
I think that’s amazing and every credit to you 🥰

Most schizophrenics can’t stay well or safe without medication. Unfortunately a lot decide not to take it as it numbs all of your emotions.

I hope he gets back on the meds ASAP and gets back in touch with the crisis team who I hope would help to stabilise him and support him with his journey back to wellness.

Well done you. It takes compassion just to make a minute of your time available to show some basic level of empathy and humanity.
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I was in Liverpool City centre yesterday and saw a man completely comatose on the floor in a bus shelter. Everyone walked past, including me. He could have been dead and he'd be there for hours, it pricked my conscious. Going back to my point the guy didn't have access to a phone or computer, during the lockdown he couldn't walk into places so what chance did he have? Today he looked like he'd given up, it's upsetting.
 
Shandypants said:
I was in Liverpool City centre yesterday and saw a man completely comatose on the floor in a bus shelter. Everyone walked past, including me. He could have been dead and he'd be there for hours, it pricked my conscious. Going back to my point the guy didn't have access to a phone or computer, during the lockdown he couldn't walk into places so what chance did he have? Today he looked like he'd given up, it's upsetting.
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It’s very upsetting. The pandemic has added to that lack of monitoring the seriously unwell with regards to mental health.

There is a huge distinction between those with situational depression and those with serious life enduring mental health disorders that account for many of those poor folk we see on the street.

I hope he gets some kind of support going forward. A major problem is those without insight into their illness don’t even have the mental capacity to realise they are so unwell.

It’s tragic.
 
I'd implore anyone who sees someone homeless to ask if they are OK. Give them a couple of quid or buy they a butty, small acts I know but they may feel better as you will, although I feel quite upset tonight.
They will be happy to have a chat, most people will walk past and regard them as subhuman.
You can tell whether the genuine ones opposed to the street beggars.
 
Shandypants said:
I'd implore anyone who sees someone homeless to ask if they are OK. Give them a couple of quid or buy they a butty, small acts I know but they may feel better as you will, although I feel quite upset tonight.
They will be happy to have a chat, most people will walk past and regard them as subhuman.
You can tell whether the genuine ones opposed to the street beggars.
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I bought a young lady a slice of pizza and hot chocolate from a little shop opposite the side of Nando’s the other week. ( Blackpool).

She lifted up her dirty sleeping bag and showed me loads of uneaten pizza slices that people had bought her 🤣
That was encouraging, as people obviously were caring , but also taught me to ask if there was anything specific they would like in future. She then asked for a Diet Coke, so job done.

It’s grim out there for some 😥
 
Shandypants said:
I'd implore anyone who sees someone homeless to ask if they are OK. Give them a couple of quid or buy they a butty, small acts I know but they may feel better as you will, although I feel quite upset tonight.
They will be happy to have a chat, most people will walk past and regard them as subhuman.
You can tell whether the genuine ones opposed to the street beggars.
Click to expand...
Quite a while back now, bought a guy a pasty and his dog a sausage roll.
He was in the walkway between nando's and the grand.
He told me to fuck off as he'd rather have had the money.
It's all well and good trying to do the right thing and it's a wonder people become cynical.
 
Got to know a guy who sits outside Tesco in St. Annes Square, always have a chat get him a sandwich odd time, but also a tin of lager on a Saturday night if he’s there, always thanks me and appreciates it, and no he’s not an alchy just a guy fallen on bad times.
 
Shandypants said:
Today I was in Preston for the first time in ages, although the following scene could have been played out in any town or city. I parked at Avenham car park and noted the presence of a rough sleeper who looked in a poor state. I checked he was OK and gave him the little change I had, it was only £2 but he was very grateful. We got chatting, he was 59 and been homeless since last October when his landlord kicked him out, his story was grim, he has arthritis and paranoid schizophrenia, but not had any medication for months. I've agreed to get him a waterproof coat and pants and he wept at this point, he's clearly not used to people trying to help. I asked him if he could get into a shelter and he says he hadn't got a phone, it struck me that during the pandemic how would he be able to source help without a phone or email? Just been on Preston councils website to try and get some assistance, I'll see what I can do but I've a feeling I'll be pissing in the wind, I'll do my best.
I've also seen the itv news tonight about the state of social housing, mould everywhere etc.
It struck me that we are failing miserably with our poorest and most vulnerable in society, its disgusting.
The housing shortage is a national disgrace, in 1970 50% of new housing was built by the state. Every new development seems to be 400k 4 bed detached houses, I accept that homelessness will never be fully eradicated but I feel ashamed tonight.
Click to expand...
Plenty of housing projects going on in my area, yesterday I cycled along some roads that I haven't visited for a while and what was open country now has housing going up, the countryside around Wombourne and Swindon is being eaten up, but not one development is for affordable social housing.
 
Chunkylad said:
I’m selfish.
I don’t want more houses building, I don’t want more roads, schools or hospitals. Id prefer to see a reduction in the number of people on this earth destroying the limited resources available. If the population fell in this country by 20% then we’d have enough capacity to house those in need
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Brave thing to say, your not wrong and it’s a conversation that’s going to have to be had the world over, like it or not.
 
Chunkylad said:
I’m selfish.
I don’t want more houses building, I don’t want more roads, schools or hospitals. Id prefer to see a reduction in the number of people on this earth destroying the limited resources available. If the population fell in this country by 20% then we’d have enough capacity to house those in need
Click to expand...
Shane they developed the vaccine really, Covid could have solved the worlds problems in one go.
 
There’s a fairly large informal group that sleeps in avenham park regularly and that has at times included students. There’s a couple of good projects in the town centre, but they need more resources.
 
I was driving through St, Annes square a couple of nights ago and couldn't believe the number of rough sleepers in doorways.
Must have been 8 or more and some mad lad on a bike wrapped in 2 duvets trying to cycle in the middle of the road to join them obviously coming from Blackpool.
Seem's there is a larger group who bed down outside the old J R Taylors and by The No15 most nights and this seems to be growing.

I know for fact that the JCP & UC will have emergency support and housing if contacted.
I'm (guessing) it's a way of life or problems in mental health that keeps them in this situation.
 
Well done @Shandypants every credit to you.

Perhaps we should have a cast iron plan to house our homeless before putting vast numbers in the Metropole. Oh, mods this isn’t racist, it’s called looking after our own first.
 
Shandypants said:
Today I was in Preston for the first time in ages, although the following scene could have been played out in any town or city. I parked at Avenham car park and noted the presence of a rough sleeper who looked in a poor state. I checked he was OK and gave him the little change I had, it was only £2 but he was very grateful. We got chatting, he was 59 and been homeless since last October when his landlord kicked him out, his story was grim, he has arthritis and paranoid schizophrenia, but not had any medication for months. I've agreed to get him a waterproof coat and pants and he wept at this point, he's clearly not used to people trying to help. I asked him if he could get into a shelter and he says he hadn't got a phone, it struck me that during the pandemic how would he be able to source help without a phone or email? Just been on Preston councils website to try and get some assistance, I'll see what I can do but I've a feeling I'll be pissing in the wind, I'll do my best.
I've also seen the itv news tonight about the state of social housing, mould everywhere etc.
It struck me that we are failing miserably with our poorest and most vulnerable in society, its disgusting.
The housing shortage is a national disgrace, in 1970 50% of new housing was built by the state. Every new development seems to be 400k 4 bed detached houses, I accept that homelessness will never be fully eradicated but I feel ashamed tonight.
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We may have totally opposing political views, but every credit to you.
One of the few successes over the pande mic was to take rough sleepers off the streets but sadly the initiative was not built upon.
 
As all of our green land is guzzled up by Legoland style development I always wonder who is buying them? Like a previous poster said some of these estates the homes start off from well over £200k and are all crushed together with barely a wheely bin space between them to maximize profit.

I just don't get where the people buying them come from. Yet to see a development with prices I'd think good value.
 
Macseasider said:
As all of our green land is guzzled up by Legoland style development I always wonder who is buying them? Like a previous poster said some of these estates the homes start off from well over £200k and are all crushed together with barely a wheely bin space between them to maximize profit.

I just don't get where the people buying them come from. Yet to see a development with prices I'd think good value.
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Some of the 'detached' houses you see could seal off the ends and fill the gap with insulating foam, they're that close.
 
cruzzer said:
Referring to our homeless includes all races and creeds.

Your comment is grade A bellendery.
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Cruzzer

No problem with you or anything that you have said but I think Thomson makes a very fair point.

Different posters can say the same thing and one can be judged as being a racist making a racist post and the other is said to be making a good point.

Not suggesting that anything you have said is racist or that you are racist in the slightest, I'm just suggesting that the only thing consistent about the moderator is his inconsistency.
 
Macseasider said:
As all of our green land is guzzled up by Legoland style development I always wonder who is buying them? Like a previous poster said some of these estates the homes start off from well over £200k and are all crushed together with barely a wheely bin space between them to maximize profit.

I just don't get where the people buying them come from. Yet to see a development with prices I'd think good value.
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First time buyers a lot of the time, as with the various government and seller incentives you can get one with a 2.5% deposit. Obviously you’re then locked into a house that you can’t afford, but still.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
Cruzzer

No problem with you or anything that you have said but I think Thomson makes a very fair point.

Different posters can say the same thing and one can be judged as being a racist making a racist post and the other is said to be making a good point.

Not suggesting that anything you have said is racist or that you are racist in the slightest, I'm just suggesting that the only thing consistent about the moderator is his inconsistency.
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Thanks so much lad for understanding and that was indeed my point, if I had said it I’d have been warned !! , the other two obviously didn’t get it😯 but hey it’s quite a momentous day, It’s the first time in 15 years on avftt that I’ve been accused of playing the race card.
 
cruzzer said:
Well done @Shandypants every credit to you.

Perhaps we should have a cast iron plan to house our homeless before putting vast numbers in the Metropole. Oh, mods this isn’t racist, it’s called looking after our own first.
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There's no link between the two. A rich nation can easily care for all in need if it wanted to.
 
BigHandsOliverKahn said:
Try backpacking for a couple of years around some of the poorest countries in the world, then come back here and see the difference.
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Try backpacking through ANY UK city or town and you will encounter scores of homeless people.

People are ‘blind’ to the size of the problem as they wear blinkers when out and don’t see them. I call it the Wenger syndrome.
 
EagleDay said:
Utter cobblers! There's always a limit on anything. How much help can you give before the money and other available resources come to an end?
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Wealth by country You need to digest these figures or travel for an extended period through poor countries to understand the difference in wealth. We are stinking rich compared to the vast majority of countries. We always will be because of the unsustainable third world debt

So instead of worrying about a few thousand refugees coming here, remember that the countries they come from are burdened by such high debt and interest from countries like ours that we are still billions in credit at their expense.

There is nothing stopping this country from balancing out wealth internally other than internal greed. The rich here prefer to keep the poor in a trap to maintain their position but it really doesn't have to be as extreme as it has become.
 
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