'Bedroom tax will hurt most vulnerable' say housing associations, as London council suggests affected couples foster a child to avoid losing housing benefit
Report says there is no need for people to move in some areas as families with a spare room outnumber overcrowded households by three to one
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The introduction of the “bedroom tax” could backfire by increasing the benefits bill and failing to tackle overcrowding, housing associations forecast this evening.
Their warning came ahead of Monday’s introduction of a scheme under which people living in social properties deemed too large for their needs lose up to 25 per cent of their housing benefit entitlement.
The Independent reported yesterday that Frank Field, a former welfare minister, had appealed to landlords to take direct action against the “wicked” moves by knocking down walls or bricking up doors. More than 50 rallies against the bedroom tax will be staged across the United Kingdom on Saturday.
A report by the National Housing Federation, which represents 1,200 housing associations, said the policy was targeting those parts of the country least affected by the problem of under-occupation.
It said that in the north of England there was no need for people to move as families with a spare room outnumbered overcrowded households by three to one. It added that there were insufficient smaller properties for all 660,000 households affected by the bedroom tax to move into.
If disabled people in adapted properties moved into smaller homes this could also cost the taxpayer millions more in costly home adaptations, the federation claimed.
David Orr, its chief executive, said: “The bedroom tax is an ill-conceived policy which will hurt the most vulnerable people in our society. It will cause financial hardship for hundreds of thousands of families and cause huge upheaval around the country.”
Meanwhile, Ealing Council in west London has suggested that families hit by the bedroom tax could foster a child to avoid losing benefit.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments