Bedroom Tax...
Two pieces I've written recently:
April 2013 saw the implementation of vast swathing cuts to the UK benefit system. Perhaps the most cruel is the ‘Bedroom Tax’ which will affect families, disabled, vulnerable, bereaved and minority groups living in social housing; Local Authority or Housing Association properties and deemed to have one or more spare bedrooms.
Over 660,000 people will be affected by this losing 14 per cent of their housing benefit for one spare room or 25 per cent for two or more spare rooms. Working- age claimants make up 31 per cent of social housing tenants affected. One spare room is being charged, on average at £14 per week while two is being charged at approximately £22 per week.
At least two thirds of these households have a disabled person which points to disabled people being hit yet again by a government that promised before the last election to look after these very same people. The un elected CONDEM government have yet again broken their promise to protect these categories of people.
To be penalised for the ‘luxury’ of living in your own home is a very low blow indeed. Disabled people often have had extensive adaptations made to their homes and also need a place to store vital equipment such as wheelchairs.
Another glaring issue is that there simply aren’t suitable properties for them to downsize to.
This subject is very close to me as I am one of the hundreds of thousands living in a property deemed ‘too large’. There is no alternative but to pay almost £100 per month or face losing my home. I’ve already had a letter reminding me about rent arrears already incurred since April 1st.
I have applied for a DHP (Discretionary Housing Payment) but have to supply yet more information in order to qualify.
One very interesting figure is that if everyone claimed DHP that was entitled we would only get approximately £2.50 each per week because the government has only made £30 million available for such payments.
March 30th 2013 saw mass demonstrations in over 50 cities and towns all over the UK. There was a good turn-out for the Cardiff protest outside City Hall at which I was honoured to make a speech. People are not going to take this kind of treatment ‘sitting down’ they are going to protest and keep doing so until this unfair benefit is scrapped.
Wales is determined not to become victims of this unfair reform. Whole communities are organising themselves and using peaceful means with which to bring their views across. It is very refreshing to know that social media, citizen journalism, e-petitions et al are helping with this on a scale never been seen before. A topic can go viral around the globe within hours and we must use this unprecedented tool to the advantage of everyone affected by this and other so called welfare reforms.
The Bedroom Tax has been likened to the Poll Tax which was received less than graciously by the British people culminating with the Poll Tax Riots in March 1990.
Cardiff Against the Bedroom Tax has taken the initiative by organising workshops to help show people how to help themselves and their communities using the skills they have to ‘fight’ for a fair system, not just a ‘cut and paste’ job from Westminster.
And...
On April 1st 2013 ‘The Bedroom Tax’ was implemented by an unelected CONDEM government on the poor, disabled, vulnerable, unemployed and other demonised and minority groups in our communities. The Liberal Democrats could have stopped this if they so chose, but Nick Clegg and the party Whip harassed MPs to vote it through the commons.
From my own point of view this means I’m expected to pay £100 a month out of the already MINIMUM that the LAW says I need to live on because there are NO suitable properties in the whole of South Wales. My home has been extensively adapted by the Welsh Assembly to meet my needs as a severely disabled person. I am being penalised in effect because there is nowhere for me to move to and certainly no money to pay for it. I’m already in rent arrears of £44 and when that gets to £100 I will be faced with eviction proceedings.
April 2013 saw the implementation of vast swathing cuts to the UK benefit system. Perhaps the most cruel is the ‘Bedroom Tax’ which will affect families, disabled, vulnerable, bereaved and minority groups living in social housing; Local Authority or Housing Association properties and deemed to have one or more spare bedrooms.
Over 660,000 people will be affected by this losing 14 per cent of their housing benefit for one spare room or 25 per cent for two or more spare rooms. Working- age claimants make up 31 per cent of social housing tenants affected. One spare room is being charged, on average at £14 per week while two is being charged at approximately £22 per week.
At least two thirds of these households have a disabled person which points to disabled people being hit yet again by a government that promised before the last election to look after these very same people. The un elected CONDEM government have yet again broken their promise to protect these categories of people.
To be penalised for the ‘luxury’ of living in your own home is a very low blow indeed. Disabled people often have had extensive adaptations made to their homes and also need a place to store vital equipment such as wheelchairs.
Another glaring issue is that there simply aren’t suitable properties for them to downsize to.
This subject is very close to me as I am one of the hundreds of thousands living in a property deemed ‘too large’. There is no alternative but to pay almost £100 per month or face losing my home. I’ve already had a letter reminding me about rent arrears already incurred since April 1st.
I have applied for a DHP (Discretionary Housing Payment) but have to supply yet more information in order to qualify.
One very interesting figure is that if everyone claimed DHP that was entitled we would only get approximately £2.50 each per week because the government has only made £30 million available for such payments.
March 30th 2013 saw mass demonstrations in over 50 cities and towns all over the UK. There was a good turn-out for the Cardiff protest outside City Hall at which I was honoured to make a speech. People are not going to take this kind of treatment ‘sitting down’ they are going to protest and keep doing so until this unfair benefit is scrapped.
Wales is determined not to become victims of this unfair reform. Whole communities are organising themselves and using peaceful means with which to bring their views across. It is very refreshing to know that social media, citizen journalism, e-petitions et al are helping with this on a scale never been seen before. A topic can go viral around the globe within hours and we must use this unprecedented tool to the advantage of everyone affected by this and other so called welfare reforms.
The Bedroom Tax has been likened to the Poll Tax which was received less than graciously by the British people culminating with the Poll Tax Riots in March 1990.
Cardiff Against the Bedroom Tax has taken the initiative by organising workshops to help show people how to help themselves and their communities using the skills they have to ‘fight’ for a fair system, not just a ‘cut and paste’ job from Westminster.
And...
On April 1st 2013 ‘The Bedroom Tax’ was implemented by an unelected CONDEM government on the poor, disabled, vulnerable, unemployed and other demonised and minority groups in our communities. The Liberal Democrats could have stopped this if they so chose, but Nick Clegg and the party Whip harassed MPs to vote it through the commons.
From my own point of view this means I’m expected to pay £100 a month out of the already MINIMUM that the LAW says I need to live on because there are NO suitable properties in the whole of South Wales. My home has been extensively adapted by the Welsh Assembly to meet my needs as a severely disabled person. I am being penalised in effect because there is nowhere for me to move to and certainly no money to pay for it. I’m already in rent arrears of £44 and when that gets to £100 I will be faced with eviction proceedings.
posted by Lynda Phillips @ 1:15 PM
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