Fredbargate

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18188610

missile

Could this be a reflection of the improvement in conditions for prisoners?

I did read a "joke" about how they are treated far better than those in residential care homes.

Garbatellamike

Yes and they also get more free telephone calls than soldiers fighting in Helmand

missile

I was shocked to read that an ex con gets 80 points and is almost guaranteed a council house on his release, whilst a soldier leaving the forces had almost zero chance of a council house.

Domino

isnt that because the ex con has past record of having lived in a town
whilst a member of the Armed Forces may wish to return to their home town to settle down and has no record of living there.

this was a problem over 30 years ago and no one has been able to get the councils or govt to understand. even more so now the married quarters available have been reduced drastically.
but Nepalese soldiers leaving the Ghurkas and wishing to settle in GB have a right to top of the queue for accommodation.

Perhaps Joanna Lumley should be targetted onto this one ? ?

Domino

and proper flushing toilets instead of a bucket
and water out of a tap instead of a warm bottle
and proper beds instead of a fold-me-up
and proper meals at fixed times instead of packet meals when you can
and they don't have to do security patrol which would ruin their nights sleep.

missile

According to the article, after serving a sentence of three years or more, the ex con is entitled to extra points which puts him on par with a homeless single mum with three kids. After serving queen and country the ex serviceman gets nothing.

I would not be surprised if a Nepalese ex Ghurka gets special treatment over a UK national ex serviceman........ It seems everyone else does?

Domino

The question that should be asked - in all cases is....
Why are you "homeless" ??

single mum with 3 kids is probably homeless because she/kids have been kicked out of where they were before for anti-social behaviour, despite the horror stories from the fluffy bunnies there arent too many who take the kids to a shelter because of spousal abuse (and the reported cases of spousal abuse on men seems to be on the increase again)

ex con is probably homeless because before the end of the first 6m the landlord isnt prepared to have the rent unpaid and obtained a repossession order - but he didnt have to do whatever it was he got banged up for, that is a "lifestyle decision". He wasnt dehumanised into it by society, just in many instances doesnt want to be part of society.

the Ghurka thing was part of the agreement that was negotiated in the last couple of years ago. They received less pay, less holidays, less pension, less everything when stood next to the men they were working with.

tonysallis1

speaking as one who has been unemployed for 9 months, has a degree education and at 53 is too old to be employed despite applying for (aver) 5 jobs per day in the last nine months, (I would say that there are no jobs here, but my 19 yr old niece,and my 16 yr old daughter have both got jobs recently), I wonder if with £50/week jobseekers, and my mortgage being £568/ month, should I indulge in a life of crime?, it is a shame that I have to rely on my daughters (min wage) income.

Domino

Tony, I am not being unkind when I say only you can make that lifestyle decision. I know and understand the pain, the dejection, the gut wrenching feelings when you open a rejection envelope - I was made redundant 3 times in 10 years. More than once I had thoughts about it, perhaps luckily the opportunity never came up - but I think there were times when I would have taken any opportunity to have some money in my pocket.
During that time I had a young daughter and a wife who had made a life decision (without discussing with me) not to work whilst daughter was at school)

I have no answers for you or anyone else in such a situation - I have friends in a similar situation, one for 18m now. I spent a short time advising unemployed in an area defined as deprived. A local company closed up laying off over 500, little help/support, in one case husband and wife had been there for over 30 years each, met, married and now redundant, mid-50's, nowhere to go. Even their company training on things like forklift's was no use, issued by the company and not by an approved trainer.

tonysallis1

Thanks Domino, I was having a gripe about my own situation, sorry about that, feeling better now,(even though my sister has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer; lost two already), just seems that someone "up there", doesn't like us. I remain strong for my sis and my daughter, apologies for my rant