Councillor's plea to scrap bedroom tax

Scrap ‘bedroom tax’! That’s the strong message from Plymouth’s Community Development Cabinet Member as the Government’s changes to the welfare system come into force.

A motion to Full Council on Monday by Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Co-operatives and Community Development, calls for support from politicians and the Council’s Chief Executive to request the Government scraps ‘bedroom tax’.

It goes on to urge MPs to voice their concerns and lobby the Government to support their affected constituents.

‘Bedroom Tax’ is the restriction of Housing Benefit for working age individuals who are renting from a registered housing association or other registered social landlord and have a spare bedroom. This came into effect on 1 April 2013.

Councillor Penberthy says: “Families with disabled children or adults, families who share the care of their children, families who offer respite care to other family members – these are the people that are being penalised by the Government’s bedroom tax. Do they have no shame?!

“We really need to stop this from happening. Vulnerable people need our support and as Cabinet Member for Community Development I cannot sit back and watch this happening without doing something – it’s my duty.

“I am asking that the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State outlining our concerns, requesting the tax be scrapped. I would also like to write to our city’s MPs asking that they lobby for their affected constituents. In addition I ask that we support the Plymouth Social Landlords Group with supporting their tenants affected.”

Around 2,000 homes across Plymouth are deemed to be under-occupying a social housing home and will see an average reduction of £10 a week for one extra bedroom and £20 per week for two. Pensioners are not affected.

According to Plymouth City Council: "The Government has estimated that two-thirds of households affected will have a family member with a disability. They have set up a Discretionary Payments Fund for those unable to pay their bills however, it is estimated this will only cover 17 per cent of those affected by the ‘bedroom tax’."

Full Council meets on Monday 22 April.

The Government have insisted that the benefit reduction for under-occupancy (the so-called 'Bedroom Tax') is fair. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ian Duncan-Smith told the BBC back in March that "we have in social sector housing, a very large number of people in houses where they have many more bedrooms than they actually need.

"Something like a million spare bedrooms are sitting around. Meanwhile, there are a quarter of a million people in overcrowding and a million people on the waiting list trying to get into housing."

The aim is for tenants who are under-occupying their homes to downsize or accept the reduced benefit. Mr Duncan-Smith said: "What we're saying to them is you can stay where you are, but if you do you'll have to pay more. Exactly the same people in the same criteria who rent under in the private sector and get housing benefit are not allowed to have extra bedrooms".

There are a number of exemptions or groups who still qualify for extra support, including pensioners (it only applies to working age people), those in temporary or supported accommodation, bereaved families, armed forces personnel and foster and other carers.