Government Failing Most Vulnerable Victims of Bedroom Tax

The Government's efforts to help vulnerable people who will be hit by the bedroom tax are falling far short of what is needed. The fund for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) has been given a £30m boost this year as the prime minister announced that the extra money would specifically ensure that the most vulnerable people are protected from the bedroom tax cuts.  But the mismatch between what the Government is taking away in housing benefit and what the DHP can help offset has left a gap of over £100m in benefits being taken away from disabled people.  If the £30m of DHP funding was distributed equally among every claimant of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) hit by the tax, they would each receive just £2.51 per week – compared to the average £14 a week loss in housing benefit from the bedroom tax.  Read more on the NHF website.