CAB bedroom tax charge calculating tool released by the CAB.

[MARTIN3030]

This is a handy link for those affected.

 

 

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_help_if_on_a_low_income_ew/help_with_your_rent_-_housing_benefit/housing_benefit_cuts_for_social_housing_tenants_from_april_2013/housing_benefit_-_bedroom_calculator_for_social_housing_tenants.htm

[LaughingGirl]

I suspect that if you asked anyone in government, they would tell you that this is the balance that they're trying to correct by introducing the tax in the first place.

 

I don't know how I feel about it to be honest - on one hand, I hate the idea of people being forced to give up the home that they've lived in all their life, but on the other hand I acknowledge that my aunt has lived alone in a 4 bedroom council house with a garden for the last 18 years while a friend of mine is attempting to bring up two kids in a 1.5 bedroom flat (.5 because she can fit a double bed in her room and nothing else - not even a bedside table!).

[MARTIN3030]

I watched the debating of this as it went on,to begin with the original proposals were far worse than those finally passed.

There are many with student children who have a need for an extra room.

There are separated parents who need use of an extra room to use when they have their children staying

There are many situations which call on having an extra room that may not be needed 24/7

[MARTIN3030]

There has already been a challenge in the Courts by 3 disabled people which was upheld.

It is now awaiting appeal

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/dwp-appealing-over-bedroom-tax-ruling/6522249.article

[Nystagmite]

It should be looked at on a case by case basis, imo.

[jackieandwayne]

And how about my poor mum then? She has lived in this two bedroom FF flat since she was ecavcuated here with my gran in the war, at 6 months old. Its a private let, but she is lucky to have inherited an assured tenancy from my gran. The tenancy provided that she is responsible for all interior repairs and upkeep and over the years it has been turned into a lovely modern flat at my parents expense, kitchen, bathroom, heating etc. Mum lovers her garden, and it is like a little paradise. We lost dad last year, and all her memories are here. It is her home, where she knows all her neighbours and gets support.

 

Her HB has been cut, and she now has to find £7 a week from her pension. The alternative, should we be unable to pay this extra money, is to let mum risk an assured tenancy by falling into arrears until she is evicted, then the council can pick her up and house her as homeless. Can someone point out to me the saving here? Where are the local authority going to put all these people who have priority need? And why should some other bloody family get the benefit of my parents hard work and dedication to their home all these years?

 

Local councillor involved in this one.

 

Apply the new rules from now if they must, but not retrospectively so that people, such as my mum, are not at risk of losing their life long home.

[debt4get]

apparently have just looked at calculator and it doesnt affect people who are pensioners so your mum should be ok

[abc123def]

Anyone know why it doesn't affect pensioners?

[MARTIN3030]

I think it was one of the areas that did not get full support for in the original proposals.

[MARTIN3030]

Although its not strictly true.

 

http://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare_reform/faqs.aspx

From October 2013, when Universal Credit is introduced, if either member in a couple is under the qualifying age for pension credit then the couple will be treated as working age. This means they would be expected to claim Universal Credit, and would therefore be subject to the size criteria and benefit cap.

And this-

http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/welfare-reform-act-2012

Note also that while the government says that pensioners are not affected, if their partner is not a pensioner and so they have to claim UC rather than pension credit, they could be affected unless they are excepted from the general rule.

[debt4get]

Anyone know why it doesn't affect pensioners?

they are making up a large part of the voting public...and traditionally they care more about using their votes than the rest of us...i honestly think there should be a box on the voting form that states 'none of the above'

[jackieandwayne]

Aah - but mum had a letter about March this year warning her they were going to do this in August 2012 and they have now deducted £7 a week for having an extra bedroom! She is a 73 year old widow on a state pension. She's distraught about it, and I am going to pay the £28 a month for her just for both our peace of minds. However, should I discover they shouldn't be doing this ........ and if that Councillor doesn;t come back and tell us so..... grrrrr

[citizenkain]

its another silly idea anyway,there isnt enough one bedroom places to go round,after the war when there was a housing shortage they were moving pensioners into smaller new built places so they could get familys in bigger homes,its still going on

[jackieandwayne]

Ping, the lights have just come on! Its because my mum is in the private sector and this rule already applies! She got the year's grace when we lost dad. Out of interest I'm going to write to the head of the homeless persons unit and ask their opinion on the rights and wrongs of OAP's being "forced" out of assured tenancies, and ask their advice as to what my mother should do, as she can't pay her rent. Just to be a pest. Her landlord would love it - its a large corner plot.

 

Can't get mother to apply for this DHB either - she refuses to beg she says.

[count orlok]

Well I am very angry (and worried sick) about the introduction of UC and the bedroom tax. My wife is a few years older than me. I have had a heart condition for many years. Before that i worked hard and paid tax. We owned our home. My wife has always worked didn't retire until she was 64 because of ill health. For medical reasons we now have separate rooms.

 

We struggled for years to pay the interest on our home, because i was unable to work. The council decided to pull our house down and only gave us enough to pay off the mortgage. At least we got a HA home which we where told by the HA was a home for life. We had our Motability car and our new home, plus pension credits, and despite my heart condition I am my wifes carer. We looked forward to not a luxurious retirement but we can afford to eat well and keep warm even if not go on holidays, and the car gave us a certain amount of freedom.

 

Since the ConDems have been in I have had the not inconsiderable worry of migration from IB. I got thought that, but then learned i was going to lose my car, now i find that we are going to lose our pension credits and have to go on UC which means a lose of £100s a month (UC for a couple os less than half that of PC). the final kick in the teeth is this bedroom tax, we can't afford to move, and need to stay hear for family.

 

I am so worried. I don't think we'll be able to afford food and even though there are food banks we can't get there without the car.

 

As i say i am worried sick, I used to be worried about debts but when i couldn't afford to pay them i stopped and nothing happened, but food (and warmth) is different, if you don't pay you don't get them. I just don't know where to turn.

Edited September 28, 2012 by count orlok

[count orlok]

I have been racking my brains, and there are 2 options I can find, both seem a bit extreme and may not even be allowed.

 

Option 1 is for me to not claim any benefits and my wife claim as a single pensioner (she would get more as a single pensioner that we would as a working age couple). Just remain living with my wife, I've more than enough stamps to get my SP.

 

The other option which I think may be better if we are allowed to do it is for me to stay on ESA support group, my wife to say on pension credits and just not to claim UC for the rent (which is the only benefit we claim that is going to be replaced by UC), and pay the whole rent out of our ESA, and pensions. That way we wouldn't be affected by the tax and UC sanctions.

 

As I say i just don't know who to speak to.

 

I don't trust my MP, he is a new Tory and wasn't any good when I wrote to him about losing my IB. All he has done is stop anybody in our town getting Disabled Parking places out side their home.

Edited September 28, 2012 by count orlok

[debt4get]

if i write none of the above, my vote is null and void, the point i am trying to make is that along with a lot of people who now feel disenfranchised with all political parties, is i still want my vote to count, how can it? when i am limited to only the career politicians of all the main parties, whose message essentially is the same, either i get 'blue tories, yellow tories, or red tories' there is essentially no difference between any of the 'major 3 partys' likewise i live in the rhondda, where no matter what you vote you will end up with a labour mp....we need a party that is going to stand up for everyone in this country, not just the top 10% of society who 'call the tune' there is 'no democracy' in this country it is an illusion, we turn up like turkey's voting for xmas every couple of years, but the outcome is always the same

[osdset]

if i write none of the above, my vote is null and void, the point i am trying to make is that along with a lot of people who now feel disenfranchised with all political parties, is i still want my vote to count, how can it? when i am limited to only the career politicians of all the main parties, whose message essentially is the same, either i get 'blue tories, yellow tories, or red tories' there is essentially no difference between any of the 'major 3 partys' likewise i live in the rhondda, where no matter what you vote you will end up with a labour mp....we need a party that is going to stand up for everyone in this country, not just the top 10% of society who 'call the tune' there is 'no democracy' in this country it is an illusion, we turn up like turkey's voting for xmas every couple of years, but the outcome is always the same

I can't argue with that, democracy in the UK has become a bad joke, and the country's been divided between those that rule and those that serve.

[Surfer01]

I am on Pension Credit with my wife who is 61 as my carer . I am 64 next year in September and we have two rooms in our bungalow. One is the main bedroom and the other is a small room which could take a single bed however it is used to store my mobility scooter and for when we have visitors or the grandchildren stay over.

I am concerned that we will be penalised, but according to post #10 by Martin this may not be the case. I would hazard a guess that all these changes are causing a lot of people a lot of stress even though they may not be affected. They like us just do not know at present.

[Nystagmite]

How will this affect people who are disabled and live in an adapted house? Many can't just move into a smaller house.

[sdys15453]

I watched the debating of this as it went on,to begin with the original proposals were far worse than those finally passed.

There are many with student children who have a need for an extra room.

There are separated parents who need use of an extra room to use when they have their children staying

There are many situations which call on having an extra room that may not be needed 24/7

 

Same problems as I have brought up about this matter. By April, I'll have two kids away at university term-time, meaning I'll only be allowed a one-bedroomed house or lose almost all housing benefit. I can't afford to move to somewhere else and if I did, my kids would have to sleep on the floor of a one-bedroomed house over Christmas, Easter, and between June and October. Does that mean when my eldest finishes uni in June 2013, we then have to go on the 10-year+ long waiting list to get a 2 bedroomed house so we can both have a bedroom to live in? Councils or housing associations often won't allow tenants to take in lodgers (neither do most mortgage companies or private lease properties).

 

Those in housing association or council housing with arrears will not be allowed to move to smaller houses until they have paid up their arrears. But they'll be unable to pay up the arrears after losing perhaps two thirds of their housing benefit. A Catch 22 getting them further in debt every week.

 

A lot of absent parents will be turned down for weekend contact as they won't have a bedroom for their children to stay in.

 

I've also heard a lot of problems will be caused by kids who are in hospital a lot, i.e. with heart or kidney problems etc. They'd be forced to take smaller accommodation, and no room for their sick child when they eventually come back home, or be left out of pocket every week because of the cut in housing benefit, even more than they already are by having to travel to hospital daily.

[id6052]

sdys15453

 

there is housing benefit caselaw that allows a Local Authority to treat uni students as occupiers for HB size criteria on their parents' HB award

 

so as long as kids come back home in their holidays, you may be able to avoid the bedroom cap, assuming your house is 2 or 3 bedroom

http://www.administrativeappeals.tribunals.gov.uk/aspx/view.aspx?id=2953

 

children who spend a lot of time in hospital are also still treated as members of household, so should not be affected, as long as child is not permanently in hospital

[sdys15453]

Thanks for that info. It doesn't appear in any of the rules and regulations that are being sent out. I'll definitely make sure my kids pass it round anyone whose parents are in the same situation.

 

Is there any information yet about absent parents having children stay over for contact? It's not relevant to me, but it is to a lot of absent parents I know who are worried they could lose overnight stays, weekend visits or school holiday stays from their children if the child doesn't have their own bedroom if they stay over.

 

 

sdys15453

 

there is housing benefit caselaw that allows a Local Authority to treat uni students as occupiers for HB size criteria on their parents' HB award

 

so as long as kids come back home in their holidays, you may be able to avoid the bedroom cap, assuming your house is 2 or 3 bedroom

 

 

children who spend a lot of time in hospital are also still treated as members of household, so should not be affected, as long as child is not permanently in hospital

[id6052]

Is there any information yet about absent parents having children stay over for contact? It's not relevant to me, but it is to a lot of absent parents I know who are worried they could lose overnight stays, weekend visits or school holiday stays from their children if the child doesn't have their own bedroom if they stay over.

 

The rule is that children are only treated as occupiers for their main home. There is no current protection under HB and I do not expect this to change under UC.

Edited November 3, 2012 by id6052

[caro]

The rule is that children only are treated as occupiers for their main home. There is no current protection under HB and I do not expect this to change under UC.

 

That's right. The absent parent won't be able to have a bedroom for their child/ren to stay over without being penalised.