Bedroom Tax: ‘Why it’s The Homeless and the Elderly That Should Be Worrying’

Housing providers are frantically working out ways to support tenants and protect revenue streams ahead of the introduction of the bedroom tax next April – which will see working-age social tenants under-occupying homes by one or more rooms hit by housing benefit cuts.  Now the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to leave out the definition of a bedroom from the final regulations, leaving it to providers to classify bedroom numbers in homes – with the rent charged reflecting size and the number of bedrooms.  It’s widely acknowledged – by the Government itself – that there are huge stock mismatches across the country, thus providers are exploring ways to support tenants in their homes.  But in doing so, it appears the elderly – exempt from the under-occupation cuts (for now) – and the homeless could be put at risk as smaller homes are prioritised for bedroom tax “victims”. Downsizing schemes run successfully by housing providers – focusing on helping the elderly downsize from larger unmanageable homes – will have to be stopped because the smaller homes will need to be prioritised for working age claimants who can’t afford to stay where they are. So, the sector can no longer afford to help those that want to move, but is forced to move those that don’t want to leave where they are.  Read more on 24dash.