Angus Young: 'Bedroom tax' is giving hard-up Hull families sleepless nights

“Remember that this will affect working people on low incomes as well as the unemployed & those unfit for work. The rights and wrongs of the basis on which Councils & Social Housing organisations allocate tenancies may be something that should be re-considered but one can hardly blame the tenant who took the property they were offered with no conditions imposed. Perhaps tenancies should now be offered on a different basis eg you are allocated a 2,3,or 4 bedroomed property in accordance with the number of children you have or any medical requirements BUT it is part of the agreement that when your childrenleave home you will be re-allocated a smaller property. This would not address the lack of 1 bedroomed properties available but Councils & Housing Associations could decide that any new develop- ments they build would include a %age of 1 bedroomed properties.
The issue of those who have a bedroom that is used by an adult child who is in the Forces would,surely, be addressed by the adult non dependant deduction that has been in force for years?”

“I completely agree Ginner - I think the premise behind this "tax" is pretty fair - that people should not be clogging up the social housing in this country by living in houses that are too big for them - but I also think the government knew when they were drawing up this legislation that there weren't anything like the number of smaller 2 and 1 bedroom houses needed for people to move in to.
That was disingenuous to say the least.
Until adequate smaller social housing has been built, I think it's totally unreasonable to "tax" the poorest people in our society, just because they live in a house that's too big for them, when there are no smaller ones available.”

“It always beats me how people think of taxing empty bedrooms. What's coming next? Billeting immigrants and asylum seekers in private houses???
You heard it here first folks, wait until some lunatic actually thinks all the world has a 'right' to live here (at our expense!!) and gets this sort of madness passed..

Oy mate I have a family of 15 scroungers coming to take over your home - it's their 'right' - you watch it will happen one day. You couldn't make it up....”

“Liam Byrne the Labour guy who left a note saying 'Their is no money'

Now we can add he does not know the difference between a tax and a reduction in housing benefit

Who is going to listen to, or believe him?”

“I agree that people in social housing and on housing benefits should not be in properties with too many bedrooms. HOWEVER, it is wrong for them to be penalised while there are not enough alternative properties for them. The changes to the system should be delayed until there are enough alternative properties for people move to. If a tenant refuses to downsize when offered a smaller property, then and only then should their benefits be reduced. The government needs a rethink on this one.”

“Not a tax.

At least they're putting it in inverted commas now.

Not a tax.

I might get a banner made.

Not a tax.

I feel sorry for those extreme examples who are gonig to lose out under this policy.

Not a tax.

Not for the amount of money they lose, but because of the number of people trying to drag their story in front of the media to try and score some points in an argument.

Not a tax.”

“There have already been some legal challenges lodged with the court:

The High Court have asked DWP for evidence and reasoning as to why they should not be forced into a judicial review in connection with discriminatory legislation in relation to disabled persons.

The boxroom/bedroom debate is a non starter. The space standards mentioned in the Housing Act 1985 are used to assess overcrowding in properities and do not relate to the act as a whole.
Therefore if you signed a tenancy agreement for a 3 bed property then it remains a 3 bed property.
When the Act came in 1985 landlords had no statutory obligation to reclassify bedrooms at that time and they don't now.
This is being challenged by a Michael Brennan who is arguing that the space standards in the Overcrowding section of the act should apply across the board.
Land lords will not be reclassifying bedrooms at this time unless the court finds in the complainants favour.
There is another challenge also relating to the 14% charge levied as to how they reached this, the evidence behind it and consultation.

As for evictions, on a secure tenancy this can only be done by a court order and warrant and the courts would probably be sympathetic as would landlords if the tenants have availed themselves of any help and assistance available, where tenants refuse to pay and don't engage with their landlord when offered assistance then the court would probably grant the order and warrant.
If people try and block a court appointed bailiff from taking back a property then it becomes a criminal offence and they can be arrested.”

“JP_Hull a lot of those who are going to these benefit cuts are the sick and disabled, so you saying all these should be forced into community work like criminals do?”

“Maybe all of you who think this is not a tax on poor people should read this story - Bedroom tax: 5,500 people in Hull alone will suffer if Tories push through new property plans http://tinyurl.com/a2vws7t
There are only 70 homes in the entire city of Hull to provide for the 5,500 that will be made a lot poorer by this tax.”

“IT IS A TAX IF YOU WORK AND PAY TAX AND I DO SO ITS,

A BEDROOM TAX RIGHT

GARETHC2010 AND JP”