While I applaude your enthusiasm, I think you're oversimplifing.

In the States, the mobility of a car is critical for us. My largest payment is my car payment. If I've become displaced, having my car seized for lack of payment on said loan will make a bad situation worse.

My other big payment is (about to be) on my college loans. Failure to pay those is federal crime, and it does get prosecuted. No jail time, but a life time of having the money taken out of your paycheck before you see it.

And both of those perma-pooch your credit. And if you are trying to rebuild your home, unless you are independedly wealthy and don't need to worry about mortgages in the first place, that is going to be a critical issue.

Simple survival isn't the point; any beast can do that.