A Hertfordshire council is considering reclassifying small bedrooms in at least 100 homes to help tenants avoid the bedroom tax.

Welwyn Hatfield councillors agreed last week to move the proposal forward as a recommendation to the council’s cabinet for a decision early next month. Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust, which manages the council’s homes for 9,300 tenants, has been visiting all the council’s properties to measure bedrooms. The plan is to reclassify bedrooms which are less than 4.65 square metres in size as a ‘box’ room so tenants will not be liable for the under-occupancy penalty .So far it has identified 100 of the council’s properties that are eligible for ‘reclassification’.