Thousands Have Had Bedroom Tax Imposed In Error

Thousands of social housing tenants will be temporarily exempted from the bedroom tax as a result of a ‘technical error’ in legislation. The DWP have issued an ‘urgent bulletin’ saying tenants meeting specific criteria should have the cut in their bedroom tax removed until legislation is amended. The DWP also said councils should refund deductions made since last April. The exemption applies to tenants who have been continuously claiming housing benefit from before 1 January 1996 and have lived at the same address. This is because the ‘eligible rent’ referred to in bedroom tax regulations does not apply prior to 1 January 1996, when a previous set of rules existed. A number of housing experts told Inside Housing yesterday, before the DWP’s circular, that tenants would have a good chance of using the loophole to overturn benefit decision at tribunal. Read more on the Speye blog.