does the government force teenagers into pregnancy to get a council house quicker?

Answer 1

I don't think so.
The government does hold some responsibly for the high rate of teenage pregnancy because of the benefits of being a teenage mum, like getting a council house like you said. I think their needs to be a dramatic overhaul of the benefits systems. Yes, I support Incapacity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance and Job Seekers Allowance to name a few, but only where genuinely needed. I think the government needs to try and help people back in to work, and to severely punish people who wrongly claim benefits. I think that most benefits should not be so high. I don't think concil houses should be let out so easily - I think it would teach people to be more responsible if that had to live in a hostel for 5 years before even being eligible for housing.

I think a large portion of blame falls on the parents of these teenage girls who get pregnant. It is the responsibly of a parent to teach children responsibility, respect and a positive work ethic. Something is going very wrong with these parents, as many seem to be encourage their children to carry on the same life as them - a life of benefits and handouts. Parents need to ensure that their children have the self-respect to practice safe sex and the self belief to go to school, better themselves and work for a living.
It really saddens me that so many people feel that the world owes them. I work for what I have, my husband works to support us. We pay tax and give to charity. We don't ask for anything. And when we have children, I will not tolerate poor behaviour - I will raise my children to be respectful and have self respect, to be responsible, happy, active and hard-working members of the community.

That said, these girls are old enough to know that what they are doing isn't right. I think they must find it hard to make that cut from the lifestyle they are so used to and make something of themselves - but they can. And they need help to do that, I think schools should promote positive lifestyles more, and offer guidance to young girls.

There are several controversial ideas that I think would help solve the problem, but you could argue that they go against several of our human rights. This saddens me, so much fuss is made over our 'Rights', what about our 'Responsibilities'?

Answer 2

I do appeciate how you feel about living the good life but as you explained earlier you have a son who has CP so perhaps you ought to look towards your future in respect of looking after him. You say that you own your own land, surely that would mean that you could still keep the horses and enjoy nature even if you did live in a council house. Could you not sell the land or even build your own home on this land supposing that you could get planning permission. Whatever you do with the land it will always be there for you to fall back on if things get really sticky financially. Are you conerned about the old fashioned stigma of living in a council house. If that is so it is just blind foolishness, as living in council property these days can be a way of stepping onto the property ladder. After you have lived in a council house for several years you will get the chance to buy as long as you have been a good tenant. Then you can progress slowly up the property chain, and by buying and selling you could end up with a house that you have always wanted. Not necessarily a big house but a home for you and your family to enjoy. Think on this as well, there are many young people out there who would be only too pleased to be offered a council house to live in. You do not have to accept the first one offered if you have valid reasons to dislike it for one reason or another. Wrong location, not an area you would choose yourself, too far away from any amentities, such as schools, bus route, no easy access to shops or doctors. Now here is a suggestion: Take a blank peice of paper and draw a line right across it. Then at the top of the line write the word positives and underneath the line write the word negatives. Now take time and think of the postives of living in a council house and write each one down so you end up with a list of positives . Do the same for the negatives of you living in a council house. At the end of the excersie you tot up the points on each list and see what comes out tops. It sounds so simple but it is not I can assure you. You will in all probablity do this excersice several times as you will always thinks of other things to add to each list. Like I said get the grey sells working and write your thoughts down on that piece of paper. It woud'nt be too long before you arrive at the right answer. Oh and another thing do you really want to go to court with all it's that it entails. I am not advocating that you should not stick up for your rights, but why are the council wanting you to take you to court? I suspect it is because of the growing needs of your family and your accommodation is not meeting those needs. I do hope you find that you can make the choice that is right for everyone. I do not envy you one little bit, but is has to done sooner rather than later. Sorry to play the devils advocate here but if it helps solve your problem so beit.

Answer 3

No. I think there is a small minority that choose the route of pregnancy in order to gain access to the UK's limited social housing stock. There has been a decrease in affordable housing across the UK especially in London and the South-east. However, I'm sure the government could do a lot more in helping this minority to gain greater access to eduction which is the key of removing this mind-set of pregnancy=housing. Furthermore, there has been a rise in the amount of people who are applying for social housing and this may be the result of immigration and other controversial factors. We need to ensure that those people applying for social housing are indeed the most deserving cases and furthermore I feel that the indigenous population should be cut a bit more slack.

Answer 4

No, teenagers get pregnant to try and force councils to give them a house. What a stupid thing to do, have a baby you don't really want just to get a house. You have baby's for the love of bringing them up and giving them the best possible start in life and not just to get somewhere to live. Would you like to know that the only reason you are here is because your mother wanted a house? I think not.

Answer 5

No ther government does not force teenagers into pregnancy, I have not seen a government people force a girl into have sex just to get pregnant. I think that you mean is that it seem unfair that teenage girls get themselfs pregnant so they can have a counicil house. Yes it does seem unfair, but the goverment has made it this way to help single mothers with kids recieve housing. Unforntally, due to this many teenagers see his as a loophole to get away from there family/place and intendly make themselfs pregnent.

Answer 6

Absolute rot. Teenagers who think this cannot be too bright and it is dangerous to think like this becaiuse it leads to teenagers having children they do not want. This is unfair on the children. The Government are trying to stop unplanned teenage pregnancy. I think we have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Europe. I find this amazing in this day and age. To have a baby in the hope of getting a house quicker is downright immoral and selfish.

Answer 7

What council houses would these be ? I thought they'd all been sold. What exactly does this socialist government 'provide' for anybody ? They just want more ways to rob the country - Milliband wanted to charge us for rubbish collection and now they want to charge us for driving on the motorways according to the Times today.

They seem to provide very little for the taxes that are been paid to them and then they want us to pay for the same things again!

Answer 8

No the silly teenager think they will get a house but it is age. No one under 18 will get a house from the council, even if you have ten kids

Answer 9

The government doesn't force anything. People need to take responsability for their own actions. Bringing a person into the world is never justified for this sort of reason. There are one hell of a lot of people out there who need to grow up!

Answer 10

Force them?How in God's name could it force them? Official government rape squads?
What a weird question! These people make their own choices and our pc parliament ptovides them with all they need. It's the other way round, buddy, they force (or try to force) local authorities and national government into actions.