Posted on 10/23/2011 5:55:55 PM PDT by little jeremiah
25million empty bedrooms across the country at a time when many are struggling to bu
Older people should be taxed out of their family homes to free up space for younger generations, says a report backed by Labour.
It argues that 'empty nesters' in their 60s are taking up too much room and should be 'encouraged' by a new 'land tax' to downsize to smaller homes.
The call comes from the Intergenerational Foundation, a left-leaning think-tank that aims to 'promote fairness between generations'.
Labour MP Tessa Jowell sponsored the report's launch in a Commons hospitality room yesterday, saying the current situation ran against Ed Miliband's vision for Britain.
But the 'bedroom blocker' plan drew condemnation from Tory ministers and pressure groups for older people.
Tory housing minister Grant Shapps said: 'We do not agree that people should be taxed or bullied out of their homes.'
The Intergenerational Foundation says there are 25million unused bedrooms in the country and eight million under-occupied homes. More than half of people aged over 65 live in homes with two or more spare bedrooms that could be used by young families, it adds.
The report, Hoarding of Housing, says: While younger families are increasingly being squeezed into small flats and under-sized houses, older people are often rattling around in big houses with many bedrooms standing empty, often for years.
Report co-author Matthew Griffiths said: It is perfectly understandable that retired people cling to their home long after it has outlived its usefulness as a place to bring a family up in.
But there are profound social consequences of their actions which are now causing real problems in a country where new house building is almost non-existent.
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(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
We are not far from Logan's Run
I was alone in a 6 bedroom house for 7 years.
Finally smartened up and downsized but,and it’s a big but,it was my decision.
Nanny, nanny, nanny state?
These oldsters may want the rooms for many reasons. Family, a future home caretaker, or rent out to some student for extra cash.
The Crown could quarter troops in them.
Such things can be said in UK cause the citizens are not armed...
soylent green after organ harvesting...
Idiot idea, but nowhere is Islam mentioned.This FR obsession with getting the Muzzies in everywhere gets farcical at times.
Do you think all British Muslims are unemployed or that all young unemployed British are Muslim?.
Oh, silly you, they didnt.
As has been explained here many times.
a—not true. Rifles and shotguns are legal. Handguns and assault rifles are not. .22 air rifles and pistols are legal.
b—the British public was never a gunowning populace. The highest amount of legal handguns, rifles, shotguns was 1.5m in 1996. Given that like myself owners owned multiple guns, the amount of Brits who owned a gun would have been half a million, maybe slightly more, maybe less.
Your average Brit is more likely to own a collection of knives and samurai swords.
It’s a silly argument, because if you REALLY want to make the old people shut up and go sit down because their turn is over and it’s onky fair to let the younger people play, you have to take away the right to vote. Old people stuff the ballot boxes and get all kinds of things past that arnt fair to younr people.
That's because those types use 'fair' to mean "Unfair to my benefit." (So do lots of others, come to think of it.)
Well, Mr. Tory, you just bumped into their tradition. Bullying other people through the law has been their SOP for decades. In a very real sense, the term "nanny state" is a euphemism.
As I recall the Soviet Union shared bedrooms in houses to accomadate families - sounds like too many communists/marxists in Britain.
“Right out of Doctor Zhivago”
In the novel, Yuri Zhivago returns from the war front to find his father-in-law’s Moscow house occupied (!) by squatters installed there by the local Bolsheviks who treat him, his wife, and the FIL contemptuously as “class enemies” and relegate them to a single room in the once-sumptuous home.
One of the first nonofficial Americans to visit the USSR in the 1950’s was shown a former nobleman’s house where the Intourist guide boasted, “Once this house was lived in by a single despot. Today it is shared by ten families, members of the toiling masses!”
Yeah, I know it’s Britainistan and not the U.S. where this intergenerational genocide (let’s call it what it really is, folks) is even being seriously discussed.
And take care to reread those who posted that gun ownership is severely restricted in the U.K. where the people, most people, are for all intents and purposes completely disarmed and liable to prosecution if they DO discharge a firearm in self-defense.
The gun issue is important. The Bolshies’ very first demand was that all citizens surrender all types of arms to the State.
Personally, my wife and I will take our two bedroom condo over rattling around in a large empty house any day. But that choice was made by us, not “for” us.
So glad I live in America and not somewhere else. I like my guns, too.
Instead of forcing people out of their homes why not deal with the causes of the above problem. Why is there no new homes being built in Britain.
Is it possible that the laws of Realm are an impediment to new home construction?
Is it possible that those advocating for this tax really dont want new home construction and would rather attack the older established generation than deal with problems caused by their fellow socialist?
I want to know why new housing is unheard of over there. If nothing else, it’s an economic engine that I can’t see how Britain does without.
I think the answer is simply too many people in “council housing”.
What I said to Melas above - “council housing” iow welfare or whatever they call it there.
My question as well. My wife, raised in Europe has pointed out that it could just be that it’s a small island.
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