"Bedroom tax" benefit change to hit 600 Stroud people

“No-one will be paying "more rent" - that's BS - as is calling this a "bedroom tax" - no-one will be "paying" anything - some will receive lower amounts of benefit BUT they will be people who have previously been receiving more than other housing benefits claimants simply because they were lucky enough to rent from the council or a housing association.

Until now, a single person in council or social housing could rent a four-bedroomed house and have the whole thing paid for on housing benefit. From April this year, they will receive housing benefit for a one-bedroomed house and they have the option of moving somewhere smaller and more affordable or making up the difference themselves. That has been the case for private tenants for years.

As for "disabled people"...

Where someone's disability means that they actually NEED an additional bedroom - such as if they have a carer staying over on a regular basis - they will be able to claim for that extra room. Not everyone who is "disabled" NEEDS an extra room so it will be not be an automatic entitlement.

In addition, certain groups will be able to receive HB for additional rooms - foster parents who may not have a kid in the house at present but are likely to do so in the near future will be able to claim for a "spare room" - and where soldiers are posted overseas, they will still be headcounted as an occupant during their absence.

It's not an ideal situation - it would be great if everyone could have exactly what they want all of the time - but it's a realistic way of handling a limited budget in a way that's as fair as possible to as many people as possible.

It helps no-one for the press to throw around terms like "bedroom tax" or to make ridiculous claims of people paying "more rent" - both are wildly inaccurate and inflamatory.

Please note too that not everyone who receives Housing Benefit gets their rent paid in full. Anyone renting privately gets a maximum of based on the number of occupants and an "average" price of suitably sized rentals in the local area - so a single person might get a maximum of £90 a week even if they are paying £500 a month rent. Also, there are many people who receive less than than the maximum - perhaps because they work but are on low earnings.

More importantly, this change in the way Housing Benefits would be calculated for those in social housing was announced a long time ago. Anyone who knew they had more rooms than they could afford under this system has had months to move or work out their budget accordingly. It's difficult to sympathise with anyone who has done nothing to help themselves.

Just one other point - what constitutes "a bedroom"? There is no legal definition of "bedroom" outside of institutions such as mental hospitals where minimun dimensions are specified. Until now, landlords have generally preferred to claim that properties have a maximum number of "bedrooms" because a "three-bedroomed house" gets higher rent than a "two-bedroomed house with a box-room" and can attract a larger number of potential tenants. It's possible that may change - partly because landlords may find themselves stuck with properties they can't fill and partly because there's almost guaranteed to be cases of people appealing against decisions to count a six by six room as a "bedroom" for housing benefit's purposes. It also works the other way - a "single bedroom" could be the size of football pitch.”

“Agreeing with above.
Face the facts, a charge to keep that nice extra 'spare' room, or face the inconvenience, and huge costs (carpets, curtains etc) of downsizing.
Oh, and don't play the victim.”

“Remember that these are not your houses. They have been paid-for by hard working people who are paying more than they would really like to in tax and, not surprisingly, wish to see value for their money.
So don't look a gift horse in the mouth and be very grateful that you live in a country which, despite the fact it is heavily in debt, is still prepared to put money aside to give you the privilege of a relatively cheap roof over your head. In many countries you would get far less or nothing at all.”

“In the real world, where most people live, we have to cut our cloth according to our means. If, for example, we cannot afford a house with two spare bedrooms we have to buy one without the extra space. I am not exactly sure why people on benefits and/or in social housing feel that they are different in this respect.
If you receive any form of benefit from social funding then, morally, it should be the minimum you require. It should not be for luxuries such as empty bedrooms.”

“In the real world, where most people live, we have to cut our cloth according to our means. If, for example, we cannot afford a house with two spare bedrooms we have to buy one without the extra space. I am not exactly sure why people on benefits and/or in social housing feel that they are different in this respect.
If you receive any form of benefit from social funding then, morally, it should be the minimum you require. It should not be for luxuries such as empty bedrooms.”

“In the real world, where most people live, we have to cut our cloth according to our means. If, for example, we cannot afford a house with two spare bedrooms we have to buy one without the extra space. I am not exactly sure why people on benefits and/or in social housing feel that they are different in this respect.
If you receive any form of benefit from social funding then, morally, it should be the minimum you require. It should not be for luxuries such as empty bedrooms.”