Bedroom tax may force disabled man and his wife to leave Bransholme home
AFTER suffering a stroke and being diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, former shipyard worker Alex Pattison thought he had seen it all.
But a letter suggesting that he and his wife Susan should move out of what has been their home for nearly 20 years was the last straw.
The couple, who live in Exton Close, Bransholme, are among 4,700 households in the city facing upheaval because of the so-called "bedroom tax".
Under Government welfare changes being brought in next month, they face the choice of having to pay a higher rent because of a cut in housing benefit or find a smaller property.
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Their weekly benefit, which goes towards their rent, is being cut by £13 because under the new rules they are judged to be under-occupying their two-bedroom council house.
Mr Pattison, 58, who suffers from Addison's disease – which often leaves him feeling weak – sleeps in the spare room because of his disabilities.
However, the new reforms take no account of married couples sleeping in different bedrooms.
He said: "I don't want to move anywhere else. This is our home."
His wife Susan, 55, said: "I am Alex's full-time carer and we both need separate bedrooms just have a break from each other.
"It's hard enough to keep things on the straight and narrow with all of Alex's health problems without having to worry about where we are going to find the money to cover this.
"Sometimes it feels like I'm standing on the Titanic. It's just a question of how long will it be before we start sinking.
"Like anyone else, I pay my bills and make sure there is food on the table but it's getting the point where you start wondering whether to start cutting back on food to pay for the extra rent."
Mrs Pattison said she saw no sense in moving to a one-bedroom council property where a large number of costly adaptations would be required before her husband could move in.
Yesterday Labour's shadow works and pensions secretary Liam Byrne visited the couple as his party launched a national campaign against the "bedroom tax". He said: "When you meet people like Alex and Susan who have worked hard and spent of a lot of their own money on adaptations to their home, you realise how out of touch the ministers who came up with these reforms really are.
"It's all very well telling people they should move to a smaller property but in Hull that equates to 4,700 households going after just 73 currently available properties."
Councillor Phil Webster, the city council's portfolio holder for finance, said foster carers and families with children serving in the Armed Forces would also be hit under the new rules for social housing tenants if they were deemed to have spare bedrooms in their properties.
"It's not too late for the Government to change its mind on this," he said.
44 Comments
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by Anon_Geoff
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 3:12PM
“Nothing to do with Europe. Don't try to turn this into yet another UKIP soapbox.
One issue, clueless, pathetic. God help us all if they get in.”
by scooter234
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 1:57PM
“It is not a tax, its a reduction in benefits, working families with extra rooms are not required to pay extra rent. I don't like the tories or their puppy dog libs, but any reduction in benefit is welcomed by me. Does this man and is wife have a new car every three years on behalf of the tax payer?”
by JP_Hull
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 1:27PM
“This is not a Bedroom Tax, it is in fact a Benefit Reform, you are only taxed when you have earned something, these people and many others are living off hand outs from the tax payer and should only receive the basic minimum required to survive, They should all be given food vouchers to stop them from wasting their benefit on booze and cigarettes.”
by myhull
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 12:16PM
“And on another point,
With neither working, surely they'll be getting FULL housing benefit.....
Wish my rent was only going to be £13 a week
Plus, we have a 3 bed house and 3 children that need a room each so please can I have £13 a week for the extra bedroom I HAVENT got???”
by myhull
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 12:07PM
“I do have sympathy for people who would rather move than PAY for their rooms, but in the same breath I don't.
They're not being forced out of their home at all, they're simply being asked to contribute towards the empty rooms they have,
Lets face it, With his disability check and her carers allowance plus FULL council tax benefit and housing benefit, they probably have more disposable cash than most working families
I'd love to jump on the "bedroom tax" bandwagon, but if i'm honest I kind of agree with it, Why should you get EVERYTHING including SPARE BEDROOMS for free?
We pay full rent and full council tax even though we live in a council house, which I happily accept full responsibility for
These people are being asked to contribute something back and then have the nerve to label it a TAX, its not a tax in any way, shape or form
If you want spare bedrooms, PAY FOR THEM! don't come crying saying you're being forced out of your home, Take some responsibility for yourself!”
by janiezx6
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 3:43AM
“the government is just one big joke”
by mewho
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:18PM
“The box room has been tested - it works. There will be many situations like this man - who has unfortunately fallen ill with a LIFE THREATENING ILLNESS". What about the families who's teenager is lucky/clever enough to get into University - has to move away to go to university. Do their family then have to move to a smaller house - therefore the young adult is unable to return home on holidays or when they have finished their university course????”
by Hankcyclops
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 8:58PM
“All political parties have always had a voracious appetite for the crumbs of the poor.”
by GuyCandy
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 8:11PM
“What I can't understand is all the moaning. These people get housed, clothed, food paid for and all their health care for nowt.
Being asked to pay a little towards the huge amounts you receive from the rest of society seems a reasonable thing in my opinion.”
by beckster07
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 7:08PM
“former shipyard worker? finished in the early 80s lived on benifs since.....”