It's a prevailing attitude of 'only the lazy are unemployed or sick' along with 'only drug addicts/alcoholics become homeless'

Yes this - a nuance I didn't quite capture, I feel.

As I'm fond of saying in conversations about privilege, it is hard to see the mountain when you're standing on it, but I can't quite believe that this lot don't feel how the bracing wind at the top could just as easily knock them off.

Sympathy to your partner. I've been there, and am very aware of how fragile things really are.