Government Watered Down Implementation Of Grenfell Recommendations

The government proposed watering down key recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry, including those relating to the evacuation of disabled people, after an industry lobbying group described them as costly and impractical. Minutes of a meeting held behind closed doors in April show fire and housing sector lobbyists describing evacuation plans for people with disabilties as “totally impracticable” and advising that they should continue to rely on ‘stay put’ advice if there was a fire. The meeting also advised against introducing manual fire alarms for existing high-rises, as doing so was “not cheap”. Read more on Inside Housing.

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Supreme Court Bedroom Tax Breakthrough

The country’s highest court, the Supreme Court, has ruled that the Government discriminated against a disabled woman and her husband and a severely disabled child who needs overnight care through the implementation of the ‘bedroom tax’. The Supreme Court judges dismissed the Government’s appeal in the case of CPAG’s clients Paul and Susan Rutherford who provide around-the-clock care for their disabled grandson and who have a third bedroom for overnight carers. CPAG acted for the Rutherfords who had successfully challenged the bedroom tax scheme in the Court of Appeal which held the policy unlawfully discriminates against children with disabilities who need overnight care. Read more on the CPAG website.

Disabled Bedroom Tax Victims Take Battle to Court Of Appeal

The grandparents of a severely disabled child have won the right to fight their case against the bedroom tax at the Court of Appeal. A solicitor acting on behalf of the family says that without the support of an overnight carer, the child would have to go into residential care – at substantial extra cost to his local authority. It is also argued that the bedroom tax discriminates against disabled children, contrary to Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Conventions on the Rights of Disabled People and Children.  Bedroom tax regulations do not allow for children who need an overnight carer. Read more on the Welfare Weekly website.

Bedroom Tax Human Rights Ruling Could Lead To 420,000 Similar Appeals

A disabled woman and her husband have won a landmark victory after a judge ruled they were exempt from paying the Bedroom Tax. Spina bifida sufferer Jacqueline Carmichael and 24-hour carer Jayson were told the Tory-led Coalition’s hated charge ­contravened their human rights. Jacqueline, 42, uses a wheelchair, is unable to walk and sleeps on an electronic mattress which helps relieve bed sore pressure. Their flat is so small two beds cannot be squeezed together and she and Jayson are physically unable to sleep in the same room. The couple took their local council in Sefton, Merseyside, to Liverpool civil court, where a tribunal judge heard their benefits appeal this month. Another 420,000 disabled people are affected by the tax and the verdict could pave the way for some to launch similar appeals. Read more on the Daily Mirror website.

Smith Defends Welfare Reforms

The work and pensions secretary has defended changes to the welfare system, including disability benefit reforms. Iain Duncan Smith said the raft of changes should save the taxpayer £50bn by the end of this Parliament. He said the reforms - including tougher criteria for people seeking disability allowances - would "help and benefit" those who wanted to return to work. The Disabilities Trust charity said the reforms were part of a "triple whammy" of factors hitting disabled people. Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Duncan Smith said the new regime would see disabled benefits claimants assessed on a regular basis to determine whether they need more support with their ailments or help to get work. Read more on the BBC website.

Deaf and Blind Man Fears Losing Home over "Bedroom Tax"

A deaf and blind man who uses his spare bedroom to store braille equipment fears that he could lose his home due to the “bedroom tax” as lawyers warned that the controversial measure is having a discriminatory impact on the disabled.  Severely disabled Martyn Styles fears he will be forced to choose between having a carer and keeping his home as a result of the tax. Mr Styles lives in a three-bedroom house with his wife and 16-year-old son, who are also deaf, and uses the spare bedroom to store Braille equipment and a specialised computer. He now faces paying more than £40 a week in bedroom tax. Iain Duncan Smith is facing mounting legal challenges from organisations representing disabled tenants affected by the tax, which argue that it has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable, and may breach human rights. Read more on the Independent website.

Woman Wins Spare Room Charge Appeal

A disabled woman, who is unable to share a bedroom with her husband, has won an appeal against the government's under-occupancy charge. A housing benefit tribunal said Redcar and Cleveland Council had not fully taken into account the woman's "reasonable requirements." The council cut the Redcar couple's benefit, arguing they were under-occupying their three-bedroom home. The government said the ruling did not set a precedent for similar appeals. Read more on the BBC website.

Human Cost of Welfare Cuts

The first detailed study into how benefits changes are hitting Manchester has revealed the ‘human cost’ of swingeing welfare cuts.  New research warns of overcrowding, new social ghettos, soaring levels of debt and mental illness – with minorities bearing the brunt.  The analysis finds minority groups – including the disabled, women and certain ethnic groups – are being hit disproportionately hard by the policies. Around two thirds of the 575 households affected by the benefits cap are ethnic minorities. It warns the cap will force people into cramped, overcrowded conditions. Read more on the Manchester Evening News website.

Disabled People Cutting Back On Food or Bills to Pay Bedroom Tax

Nine in 10 disabled people in social housing are cutting back on buying food and medical supplies as the government's controversial bedroom tax begins to bite, a new survey has revealed.  The report, from charity the Papworth Trust, says that disabled tenants are making cuts across a range of essentials if they are refused discretionary housing payments (DHPs) to help them cope with the under-occupancy policy.  And data collected from 24 local authorities shows that three in ten (29%) disabled people hit by the charges have been refused DHPs so far. Of those refused DHPs:

• 90% are cutting back on food or bills.

• 37% are cutting back on specialist mobility transport.

• 27% are cutting back on medical expenses such as medication, therapies and monitoring health conditions.

Read more on the Papworth Trust website.

London Family Fights Rehousing In Liverpool

A London council has agreed to review a decision to move a family of five with a disabled child to Liverpool after being threatened with legal action.  Law firm Miles and Partners’ client was to be moved permanently to a property in Liverpool on 15 May but a High Court judge on that day ordered Newham Council to house them temporarily while the local authority reviewed the case.  The firm argues the son has a behavioural impairment, focal onset epilepsy and suicidal tendencies, which are liable to be triggered when travelling by car. He currently receives a range of specialist help from support workers and psychologists in the local area known to him.  Read more on Inside Housing.

High Court to Consider Tenants' Claims against Bedroom Tax

The High Court is to consider 10 claims being brought against the government’s Bedroom Tax.  Two of the tenants claim that the new rules discriminate against people who need larger accommodation for reasons relating to their disability.  Ugo Hayter from the Human Rights team at Leigh Day, the law firm representing the two tenants, said: “We hope that the Court will rule that these Regulations are discriminatory in that they completely fail to make any provision for those who need larger accommodation as a result of their or their family members’ disability.  We hope that the government will be made to amend these Regulations and reverse the devastating consequences currently being experienced by thousands of people with disabilities around the country." Read more on 24dash.

Families and Disabled Workers 'Biggest Losers' Under Universal Credit

Universal Credit - the government's new single benefit payment - is in danger of failing to deliver on its key objectives, according to a new report - 'Will Universal Credit Work?' - published by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the TUC.  The report says that although Universal Credit will improve some aspects of the benefits system, its ability to lift families out of poverty and remove barriers to working will be severely undermined by the government's wider tax credit and benefit changes - with nine in 10 families gaining nothing overall from its introduction.  The report warns that the generosity of Universal Credit is often overstated by ministers, such as Iain Duncan Smith and that for those households who do gain from its introduction many will see any benefits offset by recent social security cuts.  Download a copy of the report from the CPAG website.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider excluding blind and partially-sighted people from the changes to housing benefit eligibility in respect of the spare room subsidy.

Steve Webb: We carefully considered whether it would be feasible to develop exemptions for specific groups. However, it was not possible to design exemptions that could be defined precisely enough in legislation to be simple and efficient to administer. Consequently, we have announced the addition of £25 million to the Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) budget from 2013-14. This is specifically intended to support disabled people living in significantly adapted accommodation, including people who are blind or partially-sighted. The measure will however be monitored and evaluated over a two-year period from April 2013. Initial findings will be available in 2014 and the final report will be released in late 2015.

Ten Reasons to Axe the Bedroom Tax

1. It snatches from the poorest - The bedroom tax hits people in council or social housing who claim housing benefit—more than 650,000 households.

2. The rooms aren’t ‘spare’ - If their parents are separated, children will have to sleep on the couch when staying with one parent.

3. There’s nowhere to move to - Some 4,700 tenants will be hit by the bedroom tax in Hull. But there are only 73 smaller council homes in the town.

4. It hits disabled people hard - Disabled people are more likely to need their own room and to need benefits. They could lose homes that are specially adapted to suit their conditions.

5. They are already retreating - Iain Duncan Smith has been forced to make two embarrassing concessions. Some foster carers will be exempted along with some of those serving in the armed forces—if they meet strict conditions.

Read the other five reasons on the Socialist Worker website.

Bedroom Tax – It Ain’t What Ya Say It’s The Way That Ya Say It!

On Tuesday (12 March) Iain Duncan Smith released a written statement which says:

    “People who are approved foster carers will be allowed an additional room, whether or not a child has been placed with them or they are between placements, so long as they have fostered a child, or become an approved foster carer in the last twelve months.”

So, the statement confirms that the bedroom tax exemption for foster carers ONLY applies to existing foster carers and not to new ones! So when is a concession not a concession? And how have foster carers just lost £1.35m per year? You will recall that an additional £30m of Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) was found when the bedroom tax began to raise its ugly head right across the media.  David Cameron said this at PMQs and the £30m was £25m for (all) disabled people and £5m for foster carers. By exempting 5,000 foster carers at an average of £14 pw in bedroom tax we see the budget being £3.65m for existing foster carers and nothing for any potential new foster carers.

Last week Manchester City Council produced a policy on DHPs which said it would prioritise foster carers as it would cost MCC more in spot foster payments for foster carers out of their own social services budgets. Yet now everyone will errantly believe all foster carers are exempt so councils won’t prioritise them at all or even consider them for DHPs, which, prior to today’s chicanery they could rightfully expect to be £5m per year.  Now with the exemption they will get £3.65m - potentially £1.35m less!  Read more on the Speye blog.

Bedroom Tax to Be Introduced Before Legal Challenge

A legal challenge to the government’s penalty for the under-occupation of social housing will not go ahead until after the policy is introduced on 1 April. A High Court judge has set a timetable for the case, saying the court will rule on whether it can go ahead by mid-March. If it does get the go ahead then a full hearing is unlikely to take place until May.  The challenge has been brought by 10 disabled people and their families. Under the under-occupation penalty, or ‘bedroom tax’, housing benefit for working-age social housing tenants will be cut if they are deemed to have spare rooms.  Read more on Inside Housing.

Children's Rights Cited In Legal Challenge to 'Bedroom Tax'

Ten disabled and vulnerable children have launched legal proceedings against work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith to fight penalties for the under-occupation of social housing.  Judicial review proceedings have been issued to the High Court on behalf of the children, who claim the new regulations have failed to take proper account of the needs of vulnerable children and are discriminatory. All ten of the children will be expected to share a bedroom with their siblings, but all of them have been assessed as needing their own bedrooms. This is due to their disabilities, or because they are at risk of violence from a sibling, or because of the trauma they have experienced as a result of abuse and domestic violence. Read more on the Guardian website.

DWP Rules Out Changes to Bedroom Tax

The Department for Work and Pensions has insisted there will be no change to the bedroom tax following reports that Iain Duncan Smith has asked officials to look at how the policy will affect disabled people.  The BBC has reported that the work and pensions secretary has asked officials to look again at how the bedroom tax will affect disabled people. This followed concerns from several charities that disabled people who cannot share a bedroom and carers would be penalised. However the DWP press office tweeted in reply: ‘No change in spare bedroom policy, as with all reforms we will monitor closely as it comes in this April.’ A spokesperson for the department today insisted there is no plan to change the policy but its impacts will be monitored.  Read more on Inside Housing.

'Bedroom Tax' Rules Re-Examined

Welfare secretary Iain Duncan Smith has instructed officials to "look again" at how the "bedroom tax" will affect disabled people, the BBC has been told. Under the plans, social housing tenants' benefits will reduce if their home has one or more spare bedrooms.  But charities have told the government that couples who could not share a bedroom because of a disability would be unfairly penalised. Mr Duncan Smith said he understood the concerns.  He said he had has "already issued an instruction" to officials at the Department of Work and Pensions saying, "Let's look at this again". Read more on the BBC website.

Charities Concerns for Disabled People and Housing Benefit Changes

Seven charities have written to George Osborne calling for carers and disabled people to be exempt from the controversial bedroom tax.  In a joint letter the charities warn that carers and disabled people hit by the penalty will be unable to cover the shortfall and could be forced to move or fall into arrears and debt.  The charities are concerned there is no exemption for carers who live with the people they care for or for people unable to share rooms because of illness or disability.  Read the full letter on the Disability Rights UK website.