As previously reported on South Leeds Life, tenants claiming housing benefit will be penalised if they have more bedrooms than they are deemed to need.
Hilary Benn MP has today highlighted National Housing Federation (NHF) figures which show that 2,687 households in the Leeds Central constituency will be hit by the Government’s ‘Bedroom Tax’ – the worst affected constituency in Leeds and in Yorkshire. The NHF estimates that the average rent increase in Leeds Central for someone affected who has one spare bedroom will be £473 a year, and £ 845 a year if they have two or more spare bedrooms.
Hilary Benn said:
Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn
“David Cameron’s Bedroom Tax will hurt lots of my constituents who are already struggling to make ends meet. Why should people be forced out of their family home and away from neighbours and friends? What’s more, this unfair plan actually risks costing more in housing benefit as people may have to move into more expensive privately-rented homes.
“Nationally, two thirds of the households hit have someone with a disability. What on earth is the point of forcing someone living in a home that has already been adapted to their needs to move to a different home which will then have to be adapted all over again?
“This is a tax increase on people on low incomes and it’s being introduced in the very same month that David Cameron will be giving a massive tax cut to millionaires. How can that possibly be right?”
Leeds Tenants Association are holding a meeting on Friday at 7:00pm at St Cross Church in Middleton for tenants who want to campaign against the Bedroom Tax.
