The New Bedroom Tax

Westdene Seagull · Mar 14, 2013

hova said:
I work but how can the Goverment tax people on housing benefit if they don't work, really confused.

The government will pay less housing benefit to those that don't need all the bedrooms. So if you get a 3 bedroom house on housing benefit your benefit will be cut because you have two bedrooms more than you need.

I kind of agree with it but the issue is that there isn't enough social housing left to move people into that need smaller properties. Somewhat defeats the idea !

Westdene Seagull · Mar 14, 2013

moggy said:
So an old couple who have retired, living in a council house having their rent paid are then asked to pay more as they live in a two bed house or move out, is that fair and just?

Even if that two bed house could be given to a family while the old couple move to a one bedroom property ?

clippedgull · Mar 14, 2013

moggy said:
So an old couple who have retired, living in a council house having their rent paid are then asked to pay more as they live in a two bed house or move out, is that fair and just?

Erm, that's not correct at all. It doesn't affect pensioners. Only working age people.

seagullsovergrimsby · Mar 14, 2013

A couple both on benefits living in a 3 bedroomed property providing there are no special circumstances shouldn't be allowed to live there for the next 20 years when families with kids are desperate to move out of cramped accommodation into a bigger property.

moggy · Mar 14, 2013

There's a reported 16,000 people on the Brighton and hove housing waiting list, is this the governments fix for that problem?

St Patricks Day · Mar 14, 2013

wellquickwoody said:
It will not be a tax, it will be a reduction in benefit.

So familys get paid more in benefit because of the size of the house they live in?

BensGrandad · Mar 14, 2013

moggy said:
So an old couple who have retired, living in a council house having their rent paid are then asked to pay more as they live in a two bed house or move out, is that fair and just?

That wont happen because pensioners are exempt as are serving servicemen with a bedroom at home and registered foster parents

St Patricks Day · Mar 14, 2013

Westdene Seagull said:
The government will pay less housing benefit to those that don't need all the bedrooms. So if you get a 3 bedroom house on housing benefit your benefit will be cut because you have two bedrooms more than you need.

I kind of agree with it but the issue is that there isn't enough social housing left to move people into that need smaller properties. Somewhat defeats the idea !

I'm getting there Westdene, slowly but surely. So the bigger the house you live in the more benefits you get?

clippedgull · Mar 14, 2013

Westdene Seagull said:
I kind of agree with it but the issue is that there isn't enough social housing left to move people into that need smaller properties. Somewhat defeats the idea !

Indeed.

Case in point.

A friend of mine was in a two bedroom property receiving £91 per week housing benefit. He has just moved pending the 'bedroom tax'. He now lives in a one bedroom privately rented flat and receives £149 per week housing benefit!!

rdigs24 · Mar 14, 2013

One Legged Striker said:
Do you think the Government will have the balls to go ahead with the scheme?

As usual with this government they have managed to turn what is a sound idea into a complete balls up. My Aunt has lived in a 2 bed council flat for Ten years, the last 12 months on her own after splitting up her husband. She has been upfront with the council when she received a letter informing her that as she has a spare bedroom she will have a choice of downsizing or losing 14 pounds per week in housing benefit. She contacted the council and told them that she would be happy to move in to a one bedroom property. A week later she received a letter telling her that this isnt possible as there is a shortage of one bed properties locally so she will have no choice but to pay the charge. She then took it upon herself to put a card in a newsagents window advertising the fact that she is willing to swap/downsize her flat had a call with the offer to swap in Fareham. She then informed the council who told her this isn't allowed as all accommodation exchanges have to be carried out through their official system and if she went ahead an moved she will lose all her housing benefit and be evicted. Seems to me the councils left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. :rant:

moggy · Mar 14, 2013

clippedgull said:
Erm, that's not correct at all. It doesn't affect pensioners. Only working age people.

I thought it does and it also affects such people who are very ill and bed-ridden, and can't get up the stairs to their own bedroom. Those confined to living downstairs.
There was an interview with someone like that I saw a few months back who was extremely worried about losing their home

Uwinsc · Mar 14, 2013

2 families I work for will be affected badly by this (unless they make families with disabled children exempt which I'm hopping they will). One has 3 children with autism, 2 of the same gender who would be expected to share a bedroom, asking 2 children with autism to share a bedroom is like putting to male lions in the same cage! Apparently when they used to share a bedroom aged only 5 or so they got to the point where they were drawing blood when they fought each other. The other family have had an extension to provide a downstairs bedroom for a child in a wheelchair, the bedroom the child used to be in upstairs is now empty.

clippedgull · Mar 14, 2013

moggy said:
I thought it does and it also affects such people who are very ill and bed-ridden, and can't get up the stairs to their own bedroom. Those confined to living downstairs.
There was an interview with someone like that I saw a few months back who was extremely worried about losing their home

No, really it doesn't affect pensioners at all.

If you are talking about working age disabled people, the government just this week have done a u-turn on them and so they are also no longer affected.

moggy · Mar 14, 2013

clippedgull said:
No, really it doesn't affect pensioners at all.

If you are talking about working age disabled people, the government just this week have done a u-turn on them and so they are also no longer affected.

Another U-turn

I am shocked.
But seriously, that's good they're now leaving the disabled and infirm alone

seagullsovergrimsby · Mar 14, 2013

Uwinsc said:
2 families I work for will be affected badly by this (unless they make families with disabled children exempt which I'm hopping they will). One has 3 children with autism, 2 of the same gender who would be expected to share a bedroom, asking 2 children with autism to share a bedroom is like putting to male lions in the same cage! Apparently when they used to share a bedroom aged only 5 or so they got to the point where they were drawing blood when they fought each other. The other family have had an extension to provide a downstairs bedroom for a child in a wheelchair, the bedroom the child used to be in upstairs is now empty.

I think special circumstances apply and there will be an exemption in these cases.

Westdene Seagull · Mar 14, 2013

Uwinsc said:
2 families I work for will be affected badly by this (unless they make families with disabled children exempt which I'm hopping they will). One has 3 children with autism, 2 of the same gender who would be expected to share a bedroom, asking 2 children with autism to share a bedroom is like putting to male lions in the same cage! Apparently when they used to share a bedroom aged only 5 or so they got to the point where they were drawing blood when they fought each other. The other family have had an extension to provide a downstairs bedroom for a child in a wheelchair, the bedroom the child used to be in upstairs is now empty.

And therein lies the problem - no common sense on the assessment.

I, and hopefully most other people, wouldn't have an issue will a couple being forced to downgrade ( or pay more ) if they still occupied say a four bedroom house after all their children had left home. Your example shows there is no real way of implementing what is actually a good idea because of poorly defined criteria and poor public employees.

wellquickwoody · Mar 14, 2013

moggy said:
No, I don't agree, it's just another disguised tax

Objection m'lud, objective not factual comment.

Lord Bracknell · Mar 14, 2013

Westdene Seagull said:
The government will pay less housing benefit to those that don't need all the bedrooms. So if you get a 3 bedroom house on housing benefit your benefit will be cut because you have two bedrooms more than you need.

It's the council that pays out housing benefits, reclaiming the costs from the government. All the government needs to do is to cut its grant to the council and leave the council to deal with the benefit cut.

moggy · Mar 14, 2013

wellquickwoody said:
Objection m'lud, objective not factual comment.

sorry, should've said stealth tax

skipper734 · Mar 14, 2013

It's only Housing Benefit Claimants that are affected. Say you are single and receive housing benefit for a two bedroom flat, you will receive 14% less Housing Benefit than you receive at the moment, as you only need one bedroom.
If there are two of you, and are a married couple, in a three bedroom house or flat same applies, except the money you don't receive is 25% less.
It's more of an attempt to lower rental rates to Landlords and the benefit bill, rather than an attack on the starving claimants. Mind you I couldn't see much wrong with the Community Charge either.

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