Saturday 2 March 2013

Bedroom Tax


What is happening is that for people who rent council houses/flats AND receive housing benefit
their housing benefit will be calculated from the number of bedrooms they are assessed to need
(for example - a married couple with no kids will be assessed as needing 1 bedroom)
They will then receive housing benefit appopriate for a house/flat with that number of bedrooms in the area they live.
(so a married couple will receive housing benefit appropriate for a 1 bed house/flat)
They can live in a 3 bed house if they want, but they will ONLY receive housing benefit for a 1 bed house. If that aint enough to pay the rent then THEY will have to pay any additional amount.necessary. OR they can move to somewhere cheaper.
As previous answer ALL that happening is the amount of housing benefit they receive is being changed to what they are assessed to NEED, the number of rooms/bedrooms where they live is irrelevent.
NOBODY is being "charged" anything
NOBODY is going to come along and say "ah - you have got 2 bedrooms and you only need 1 therefore we are going to charge you extra"
What they ARE going to do is assess what you need and say "Ah - we have assessed your needs and you need (say)1 bedroom" therefore you entitled to this much housing benefit. Where you live is up to you but you aint getting any more than this".

All that is happening is that the rules for those who rent council houses and receive housing benefit are being made the same as for those.who live in private rented houses, and THESE rules have applied to THEM for 2 years.

(the 1st answer is completely wriong
The number of bedrooms where you live is IRRELEVENT- and the amount of housing benefit you receive will be determined by what you are assessed to need,.If you are assessed to need 1 bedroom then that sets the amount of housing benefit you will get- end of story
It dont matter HOW many bedrooms it has - if you live in a house and the rent is £100 but you only receive £50 in housing benefit then you will have to pay the additional £50
If the rent is £125- then YOU will have to pay the additional £75
If its £50 then you dont have to pay an additional penny.)

 (taken from BBC news site)

What will happen to the thousands of carers who need to sleep in a separate room, or who need to have a room available is anyones guess!

Also the mass assumption that the council has endless one bed flats for everyone to move into is laughable.  THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE!!

 So if someone is in a council two bedroom flat and the rent is £500 per month, they lose housing benefit  that they have no way of making up.  They then  go into a private one bedroom flat that costs £650.00 per month and have it all paid from housing benefit.   Crazy!