Charities Turn 'Bedroom Tax' Attack On PM

Charities have accused the Prime Minister of giving "inaccurate" statements and raising "false hopes" by suggesting that disabled people who need an extra room are exempt from the so-called "bedroom tax". Eighteen chief executives of leading disabled charities have written to David Cameron criticising comments he made during Prime Minister's Questions. Mr Cameron was asked about calls to exempt disabled people from the spare room subsidy and responded: "Obviously, what we have done is to exempt disabled people who need an extra room." The charities, which include Carers UK, the RNIB and Sense, say he has made similar remarks twice this year.  Read more on the Sky News website.

Housing – Parliamentary Oral Question

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their social housing underoccupancy measures will apply to separated parents who have shared care arrangements and have been allocated an extra bedroom as a result.

Lord Freud: The underoccupancy measure does apply to separated parents who have shared care arrangements in both the private and social rented sectors. Blanket exemptions are not the most effective or affordable approach to targeting resources. We have however made sure that those likely to be affected will be able to get the support and advice that they need. There are a number of options available to those affected including, for those that already undertake some work, increasing their hours, or alternatively finding work.

Disabled Face 'Being Kicked Out Of Homes for Having Extra Bedroom' - MP

A Labour MP has questioned the fairness of the Government’s under occupation plans for the social sector, warning that many of his disabled constituents who have had adaptations to their homes face being “kicked out for having an extra bedroom”.  Chris Evans, Lab/Co-op MP for Islwyn in Wales, said in the House of Commons: “Many disabled constituents have come to me because, despite having had to make adjustments to their homes simply to accommodate their disability, they now face being kicked out for having an extra bedroom. Does the Minister think that is fair in the 21st century?”  Read more on the Parliament website.

DWP Appealing Over Bedroom Tax Ruling

The government is trying to overturn a court ruling that could force changes to the controversial bedroom tax policy.  A Court of Appeal ruling last month found that housing benefit rules discriminate against disabled people. The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, which restrict housing benefit for private renters according to property size, were found to be discriminatory because they do not allow benefit for an extra room where two children cannot share because of disabilities.  The DWP has today confirmed it is seeking to overturn the decision.  Read more on Inside Housing.

DWP Bids to Overturn Ruling on Spare Rooms

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is bidding to overturn a Court of Appeal (CoA) decision which ruled that the size criteria in the housing benefit regulations discriminate against disabled people.  Last month the CoA said the regulations were discriminatory, because they do not allow for an additional room to be paid for where a disabled person has a carer, or where two children cannot share a room because of disability and the DWP is now under pressure to amend the regulations for families with disabled children. Under current plans around 670,000 social tenants - two-thirds containing a disabled family member - face losing an average of £13 per week because they are deemed to have one or more additional bedrooms.  Read more on 24dash.

Judgement to Force Changes to Benefit Rules

Housing benefit rules for private rented tenants discriminate against disabled people and will have to be changed, the Court of Appeal has ruled. The Court of Appeal has found that the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, which restrict benefit according to property size, discriminate against disabled people because they do not allow an additional room to be paid for where two children cannot share because of disabilities. The ruling means the government will have to change the regulations.  Read more on Inside Housing.