'Poor will be hit' by unpopular changes to housing benefits
A CUT in his housing benefit due to the so-called "bedroom tax" will be a tough blow for St Ann's resident Reg Needham.
Coupled with the responsibility of caring for his mother Mavis, who is suffering from dementia, 53-year-old Mr Needham fears for the future.
The pair live in a three-bedroom house in Robin Hood Chase – although he says the third bedroom is very small – and will lose out when his housing benefit is cut in two weeks' time.
He said: "I'm worried about how I will cope – I don't live beyond my means at all, but this means I'll have to cut back on things that people think of as necessary.
Landlords let us advertise your property and find you vetted tenants quickly. Our let only service is £195.
We offer full management services as well as rent guarantee and rent advance. Call us
Terms: No hidden charges, you will be informed of all costs in advance. The letting agency you can trust.
Contact: 0115 8969582
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
"I don't think it will be long before my mum will have to go into a home and I'll have the worry of that as well as having a quarter of my housing benefit cut.
"The waiting lists for houses are months and months long and, in the meantime, people like me will have no choice but to pay out."
The figures back Mr Needham's claim up. More than 5,000 households in Nottingham will lose a portion of their housing benefit for being under-occupied, but only 35 one and two bedroom houses are available.
The situation is similar in the county: An estimated 1,675 households will be affected in the boroughs of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, but only 22 one and two-bedroom properties are listed as available on website Homesearch. Chris Shannon, an advisor at the St Ann's Advice Centre, said people in the area were frightened about the changes.
He added: "We're usually busy, but recently we have been busier than I can remember it being for a long time.
"These changes will cause chaos in society and I don't think I'm exaggerating there.
"People will fall into rent arrears, possibly get evicted and what will happen then?"
Dave Liversidge, portfolio holder for housing, adults and community sector at the city council, said: "In Nottingham, it's clear that there are few if any one or two-bedroomed properties available in the social housing sector.
"This means people who fall foul of the bedroom tax don't have the option suggested by the Government of moving elsewhere – unless they are in the unlikely position of being able to afford to go into the more expensive private rented sector."
The changes to housing benefit will only affect those who live in council or housing association homes.
People living in the private sector have not been able to get their full housing benefit if they have any spare rooms for some time.
And pensioners, families with severely disabled children, foster parents and service personnel will be exempt from the changes.
It has been called a bedroom tax because people will lose money if they have spare bedrooms.
The changes will see housing benefit cut by 14 per cent if properties are under-occupied by one room and 25 per cent if they are under-occupied by two rooms.
Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "There's nothing fair about making families wait and wait for a house that is big enough, while other households on benefits are allowed to live in homes that are too big for their needs, at no extra cost. Many working families in Nottingham cannot afford the luxury of having spare bedrooms, and the Government cannot afford to pay for bedrooms that are not being used."
8 Comments
by SuperGerrard
Tuesday, March 19 2013, 2:23PM
“At the end of the day people will have to pay under £2 per day if they want a spare bedroom in their home which is provided to them by social housing. Sounds okay to me.”
by irvine
Monday, March 18 2013, 3:11PM
“â The Under Occupancy Rules are agreed in legislation - fact.
â The rules will go into force on the 1st April - fact
â People over working age are exempt - irrespective of whether they can afford to pay or not - government had no appetite for taking on the powerful pensioners lobby - Eric Pickles' words not mine - fact
â Every LA and RP in the country have identified all of their tenants who willl be affected and have written to them - fact
â Bedroom requirements are defined as one room being required for each of the following:
If you have foster children and / or children who spend weekends with one of their separated parents,they will not be treated as part of the household, and will not be allocated a bedroom - fact
â Each adult couple
â Any other person aged 16 or over
â Two children of the same sex under the age of 16
â Two children regardless of sex under the age of 10
â Any other child
â A carer, or one of a team of carers, who has a home elsewhere, who uses a spare bedroom on a regular basis to stay overnight because the claimant or their partner requires overnight care
â
There is a huge under supply of smaller properties for people to downsize to - fact
â Relatively speaking there are small number of people who are over occupying - and these in the main are older people where children have left home - however they are exempt - fact
Lets not forget that this is one change within Welfare Reform - there are many. We haven't even debated the merits of Single Room Rent - and I suspect hardly anyone is aware of that one? Lets say Robert is married, working and has two childre. He is 31 and loses his job. His marriage breaks up and he has to/agrees to leave the marital home. How much HB will Robert receive? He will receive what the LA has deemed to be the cost of a room in a shared house - he will have to share a bathroom and a kitchen. So my first question would be what will Robert do when it's his turn to have the kids?
Probably worth mentioning Smith's uturn on foster carers and those with sons and daughters who are serving in the forces.”
by SuperGerrard
Monday, March 18 2013, 3:08PM
“I cannot see what's wrong with giving the biggest homes to those who need them most. This is a socialist priniciple in every way so what has it got to do with Tory principles?”
by sicofit
Monday, March 18 2013, 11:35AM
“therealmetalmicky Thank God there is some humanity in the world. soraya you are a sad person and SteveBasford I doubt that very much.
Before you start putting me in one of your scrounger compartments, I am retired and have never, fortunately, found the need to receive benefits. I know many who have not been so lucky and feel sympathy for them.”
by therealmetalmicky
Monday, March 18 2013, 9:11AM
“I see the wonderful giving Tory principals are alive and kicking, "there but for the Grace of God go I " nice!”
by therealmetalmicky
Monday, March 18 2013, 9:10AM
“I see the wonderful giving Tory principals are alive and kicking, "there but for the Grace of God go I " nice!”
by soraya
Monday, March 18 2013, 9:04AM
“Being a sponge is 14% less cushy.”
by SteveBasford
Monday, March 18 2013, 8:19AM
“I think if you conducted a proper survey, you'd likely find benefit cuts are hugely popular....”