Well at the moment even a studio hovel is over £350 pm in Didsbury/ Withington area and even though I have done a degree my current wage is terrible, so are you saying that if I paid more tax, taking more off the precious little I get anyway, then that rent/ council tax, bills etc would become reduced? Also I agree on your other point but as I'm sure you are aware it isn't just the business men and the rich it is the others who live off benefits they claim fraudulently; those who are not disabled, claiming disability; those who work but also claim job seekers allowance etc etc. I think that more has been done to combat this problem but as of yet not enough has!