I know from personal experience that being classed as homeless can be a troubling experience to say the least, because it’s the one term that means you truly have nothing. However, it’s not as bad as it seems, because being classed as homeless especially as a teenager leads to some unexpected benefits.
So I only have one question: why on this earth or the next is it acceptable to charge a ridiculous amount to live in a halfway house? And to make things worse, the rooms are just a bedroom with a bathroom, the kitchen is shared between 8 people and the conditions the rooms are in are atrocious due to the plumbing, heating, insulation and air-conditioning being faulty.
You will be housed and given grants in order to help you live a normal life, but despite this seemingly fool proof plan there are still so many flaws in our system. For example, the only homeless shelter in my local area charges £250 a week for rent, though keep in mind that this is a place for vulnerable people to get back on their feet as well as 16 to 18 year-olds who have been kicked out of their homes.
So, keeping the price of the rooms in mind, how and why would someone pay so much to live somewhere that’s meant to help them? I personally am lucky because of social services and how they pay for me to live here, but I have to deal with the daunting reality that once I turn 18 I will be responsible for my rent and, despite what you may think, the average yearly income for an 18 year-old with 2 jobs is £17,831. This means that they could afford to live in this shelter for 8 months before they couldn’t pay rent (assuming they have savings).
If you personally are struggling here’s a helpful insight into what to do *click here*
