The campaign group Hands Off Our Homes have called a public meeting in Middleton to galvinise opposition to the Bedroom Tax.
The Bedroom Tax, officially called the “Under-occupation Penalty”, is a reduction to Housing Benefit for people deemed to have more bedrooms than they need. It is part of a raft of changes to the benefit system introduced by the government that take effect in April this year.
Middleton Park ward is one of the most affected in the city with 600 households facing a cut in their benefit.
A strict formula is used that allocates bedrooms for adults and children depending on their age and gender. Benefit will be cut by 14% for one extra bedroom or 25% for two. The Government say they want people to move to “appropriate” sized property, or pay to stay where they are.
Hands Off Our Homes points out that for most people it is impossible to move due to the shortage of council and housing association homes. The rules also penalise disabled people and separated parents who need bedrooms for their children to maintain access agreements, as Guy from the campaign explained:
“A huge amount of people either cannot move or moving is very impractical, further those that can move are likely to be moved away from their community and into cramped accommodation. Those that can’t move or refuse to move are likely to run into arrears and Leeds City Council has little idea how to deal it this. We are calling on Leeds City Council and other landlords to refuse to evict those that run into arrears due to the bedroom tax (which also happens to be the cheaper option after legal costs and homelessness provision) and instead focus its efforts on opposing this centrally imposed policy.
“Our ultimate message to those affected is not to panic, don’t pay what you can’t afford. Don’t run into debt. Stay put, eviction is difficult and we can protect each other as we did during rent strikes or the poll tax.”
The meeting takes place on Thursday 28th February at 7:30pm at St Cross Church on Middleton Park Avenue.
There is a legal argument which may help those who wish to fight this pernicious tax as to what exactly is a bedroom: see http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/what-is-bedroom-significant-new-bedroom-tax-challenges-emerge
Why do the new regulations only apply to social housing tenants?
The same rules apply to both social housing and private housing. We should look upon the lowering of housing benefit, when people have a spare bedroom, as a way to free up much needed housing for larger families. Leeds City Council are helping those with a special need for a extra bedroom, and the Government are also re-examining the rules. So the only people that may lose housing benefit, are those that don’t actually need a spare bedroom.
Having read a bit further it seems that the changed rule is bringing social housing into line with private sector housing benefit rules so that at least (in theory) make sense although because rents in the private sector are often higher then housing benefit has been higher. The change also only applies to those of working age.
I think the problem is (a) that the financial cost of helping people stay in accommodation deemed too large for them will fall on LCC (see comment on ‘South of the River – where the cold winds of austerity blow’ (b) whether the ‘need’ for a second bedroom is defined narrowly or broadly (c) the shortage of 1 bedroomed and 2 bedroomed accommodation and whether it will be available where people are currently living and (d) the compounding effects when welfare reform is introduced in October.
In terms of social housing rents have risen substantially in real terms because of reductions in government coastal subsidy which started with the Housing Act 1988. Housing practitioners pointed out that this would lead to an unaffordable revenue subsidy which over time would be considerably more expenditure than the capital subsidy it replaced.