Seven months after the introduction of the so-called
‘bedroom tax’ two thirds of council house tenants affected are behind with
rent, a Freedom of Information request has found. Of 2,920 Bristol council households
affected, 1,990 are behind with rent, and 250 have received a Notice of Seeking
Possession. Most given a notice had some level of arrears when the legislation
came into force, but 14 owed nothing. Thirteen of these have continued to slide
further into debt, and one has already been referred to court – as have an
unspecified number of others who already owed money to the council. Just over
100 tenants have managed to transfer or exchange into a smaller social home.
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