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Thread: Bedroom Tax

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    Default Bedroom Tax

    'Bed tax' forces people out of homes
    WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY 2013
    http://www.channel4.com/news/bed-tax...e-out-of-homes


    The biggest social housing landlord in the north west says almost a quarter of its tenants subject to the so-called "bedroom tax" are being forced to leave their homes.


    From April, social housing tenants deemed to be under-occupying their properties will be charged an under-occupation penalty, which will be deducted from their housing benefit entitlements.

    Riverside Housing, which manages 50,000 properties nationwide, says 24 per cent of its tenants who will be affected are searching for alternative accommodation, while 63 per cent intend to stay in their homes and pay the penalty.

    The new levy, dubbed the "bedroom tax", is central to the government's welfare reform agenda, but has attracted criticism from housing associations and charities.

    Under-occupied

    The penalty will be applied to working age social housing tenants who are judged to be under-occupying their homes. Couples and children of the same sex are expected to share a room, as are any two children under 10 regardless of gender.

    Tenants with disabilities will also be subject to the penalty, unless a bedroom is used by a non-resident carer who stays overnight.

    Jayson and Charlotte Carmichael from Southport received a letter informing them they will be expected to contribute an additional £11.90 per week towards the cost of their two bedroom flat.

    Charlotte suffers from spinal bifida and sleeps in a hospital-style bed which is designed especially for her condition, while Jayson sleeps in the second bedroom. The couple are now deemed to be under-occupying the property.

    'Penalised'

    The letter tells them their options are to pay the penalty, move to a smaller home or take in a lodger.

    "It's so depressing," says Charlotte. "I have to sleep in this bed. I didn't ask to live like this."

    "I'll have to give up bus travel," says Jayson. "And we'll have to cancel the television subscription.

    "I don't know why we're being penalised. We're not under-occupying this flat. Charlotte needs to sleep in a hospital bed because she's severely disabled. We're already pushed for space with all the medical equipment. It's disgraceful."

    Hardest hit in the north

    The housing benefit changes are expected to hit hardest in the north of England, where there are fewer one and two bedroom properties available to social housing tenants.

    It is predicted that 600,000 people will be affected nationwide, around 20 per cent of social housing tenants. However, in some parts of the North West more than 40 per cent of those in social housing will be subject to the penalty.

    "Nobody wants to move, but some people have to because they simply won't be able to pay," says Christine Frazer from Riverside Housing.

    "The problem is those that are moving to avoid the penalty need one and two bedroom flats and there just aren't the properties for them. We work so hard to build strong communities, but a quarter of people leaving all at once will tear them apart and there'll be more anti-social behaviour."

    Huge demand

    According to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions around 600,000 one bedroom flats will be needed to accommodate tenants currently under-occupying larger homes, but national housing stocks for this kind of property stand at just 300,000.

    In the Liverpool city region there are 10 potential tenants for each one bedroom flat that comes on the social housing market. Estimates suggest it will take seven to eight years to find smaller properties for those willing to downsize in this area, not taking into account new demand.

    Councillor Karen Garrido, leader of the Conservative group on Salford Council, admits the process will take time. Her advice to those facing a long wait to be re-housed is to move into the private rental sector or take in a lodger. She insists social landlords will not evict tenants who cannot afford to pay the under-occupation penalty.

    However, while Riverside Housing says it will do all it can to assist those who come into financial difficulty, it admits repeated failure to pay will result in tenants being evicted from their homes.

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    Mansion-dwelling Tory Minister tells Scottish dad that his three kids should share a sofa bed
    http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/po...ottish-1555957
    26 Jan 2013 00:01


    A TORY Minister who lives between a mansion and a townhouse has come under criticism after telling a Scottish dad affected by the imminent bedroom tax that his three kids should share one pull-out bed.



    A SCOTS dad last night condemned a millionaire Tory who said his three kids should share a sofa bed as an out-of-touch snob.

    Graeme Gair confronted mansion-dwelling Welfare Minister Lord Freud on a radio phone-in about the controversial new bedroom tax.

    The separated dad of three faces losing part of his benefits if he has more than one bedroom in his home – but needs extra space for when his children visit him.

    And when he explained his plight to Freud – who shares a four-bedroom London townhouse and an eight-bedroom Kent mansion with his wife – the minister said all three of his kids could share one pull-out bed.

    Last night, speaking for the first time since the row on BBC 5 Live, Graeme, 42, from Inverness, said: “I can’t believe he had the cheek to tell me my kids should sleep on the sofa when he lives in a mansion which is half-empty. What a hypocrite.

    “Would he expect his own kids to sleep on the sofa? Would he hell.”

    Graeme is so upset at the imminent introduction of the bedroom tax he has launched a Facebook campaign against it. Thousands of people have been recruited.

    He is convinced his human rights and those of 700,000 households across the country are being violated by the tax, which involves cutting housing benefit for every vacant bedroom in a property.

    And he has appealed for a human rights expert to come forward and offer advice and help in fighting the tax, which the Government have pushed through despite it being twice rejected by the House of Lords.

    Graeme said: “Some peers are against it but Lord Freud, who lives in a big mansion, is a supporter.

    “How can he say I live in a house that is too big for my needs? It shows how some people are completely out of touch with the problems of society today.

    “He is detached from reality when he has no worries living in his ivory tower. This tax is so unworkable everyone can see it but the politicians.”

    The tax will hit an estimated 95,000 people – but not 62-year-old Freud. His historic country pile is one of the oldest in England and he uses it for weekends and holidays.

    During the week, Freud, whose three children have grown up and moved out, lives with his wife Priscilla in a four-bedroom townhouse in upmarket Highgate – that’s three MORE spare bedrooms.

    Graeme says he is being penalised for wanting to be a good father to his three sons, 20-year-old Sean, 13-year-old Lewis and 10-year-old Kieran, who has autism.

    Other people who will be hit include couples who live in a two-bedroom home and use both bedrooms because one of them is ill. They will be assumed under the new tax to only need one bedroom.

    Graeme said: “Since my relationship with the boys’ mother ended, I have got access to them every other weekend and for half of the school holidays.

    “I haven’t worked since 2006 because I have health issues. Seeing my kids and having them stay with me is a real morale-booster. I recently got a house with three bedrooms through a housing association but I am preparing to move out because I will no longer be able to afford it.

    “I am moving to a two-bedroom flat, but even then I won’t be able to make ends meet because my benefit will be cut by 14 per cent. If I stayed here, it would drop by 25 per cent.

    “I love it here, it is a great house with great neighbours. But I live a spartan existence. I can’t afford carpets, I am in debt up to the hilt and have the barest essentials in furniture.

    “Some people are very judgmental and think that those who are on benefit have a great life and are scrounging.

    “But most are genuine people in need of financial help. It is just not fair that the Government are making me choose between my kids and cash.

    “I will have to find another £45 a month just to try to make ends meet and I am not doing that at the moment. I will simply fall further into debt, which will make my mental health even worse.”

    Graeme fears he will be forced to look for a one-bedroom property. But he says his chances of finding one are remote as there are 4500 people on the waiting list.

    He said: “I am sure my human rights are being violated and I am hoping that by raising awareness of our plight, a human rights lawyer might take up our cause for free. There are more than 6000 members of the Facebook campaign and we offer help and advice between ourselves and to others.

    “We urge people to contact their MP and local politicians to ask them to stop this tax, but we are stopping short of recommending civil disobedience. There are also links to online petitions.

    “By ensuring the campaign is at the forefront of people’s minds, we may be able to make a difference.”

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    It's a silly tax, that will encourage sons & daughters, to stay at home. Or even force the poorest parents to have children. Does it take into account the size of the bedrooms?

    Don't see the long term benefits, of crammed housing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Graham View Post
    It's a silly tax, that will encourage sons & daughters, to stay at home. Or even force the poorest parents to have children. Does it take into account the size of the bedrooms?

    Don't see the long term benefits, of crammed housing.
    The reasoning behind it is good - to get stop social housing being under occupied by one or two people if it is fit for a whole family. It's just in practice where it needs improvement.
    For years we've had the elderly and childless couples taking up large properties whilst families have been forced into tiny properties and put on waiting lists. Something has to be done and some people are going to get caught up in it.

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