What are your views on the bedroom tax?

[Cheekychops84]

the new tax for hb claimants where u loose some hb for bedrooms u don't need? we work so at the moment won't b affected but if workers later on down the line are affected I think is a bit unfair as we are paying all rent and bills ourself at the same price as Private Rent?

[NovackNGood]

It is not a tax.

[Callisto]

If you have more bedrooms than you need and you are claiming hb you should downsize.

[NettOlympicSuperstar]

Why do you need extra bedrooms?
I currently need a three bed, for two people, due to disability, and it's been a total pita even sorting that out with the HA, even though they made the rule!

[Cheekychops84]

Yea I agree with that too but what if ur working then they start aiming it at working ppl?

[bronze]

How would it work when they calculate how many bedrooms you are allowed then allocate an amount to you so if you choose a bigger house you tend to have to pay the rest yourselves anyway.

For example I have four children but with 3 being boys we would be also aged for 3 bedrooms. So I we decided to rent a four bed house we would still get the three bedroom amount and we would have to pay the excess. To then 'tax' that would ev unfair

Or have I got it wrong?

[Sallyingforth]

Hard, but true.

[threesocksmorganwinsgold]

i can see problems with it as it isn't always clear cut.
we have a 3 bed HA house, but even when ds leaves home we will need the 3rd room for carer in the future. so not sure would happen if we were on hb

[Cheekychops84]

We are overcrowded found a swap but will then have one room extra :(

[Cheekychops84]

We have 3 girls in a 2 bed at the mo and taken ages to find someone willing to downsize bit she has 4

[NettOlympicSuperstar]

You should be able to keep it threesocks.
The reason I'm classed as needing three beds for two people is because one is needed for a carer.
I get full HB btw.

[BaronVonAwesome]

You don't have to live in social housing to claim housing benefit. We rent privately, therefore no 'waiting list' for our house. Luckily our claim for housing benefit shouldn't be a long term one as I'm hoping to be well enough to return to work soon (recovering from cancer).

It does make me think though - would a family in our position be required to downsize? We both work, we have one DS who is a toddler and we live in a three-bedroomed terrace. I am off work but still employed even though I don't receive any money from my employment and we are surviving on DP's meagre wage and the very few benefits I am entitled to at the moment. Downsizing in our situation doesn't make any sense.

[ErikNorseman]

This applies to housing benefit claimants rather than LHA I assume. I think people should be encouraged to downsize if they are in social housing with a bedroom they don't need. If the government make it easy for people to downsize rather than cutting benefits but leaving them stuck in properties they can't afford then I don't object.

[ErikNorseman]

Baron - if you claim LHA then you cannot claim for rooms you don't need in the first place. I have a 3 bed house but only need 2 for LHA purposes, they cap my LHA at a 2 bed rate.

[samandi]

I don't think it's unfair to lose benefit for bedrooms you don't need. HB should cover the minimum required.

[OldGreyWiffleTest]

My sister is in a large 3-bed council property with a huuuuuge garden. She lives there alone. She refuses to move. This might make her change her mind.

She doesn't see the irony that her daughter, son-in-law, and 3 children are unable to get a council property and are currently paying £1500 private rent a month for a 3-bed house.

[Cheekychops84]

Yea I no an old lady in a 5 bed wants to move but council dnt care

[TroublesomeEx]

Hasn't this always been the case?

They used to reduce the amount of HB paid if people had a dining room because it could be classed as an extra bedroom.

This isn't a new thing.

[M0naLisa]

This isn't new. My sister is in a private 3 bed house and only her and her son living there. She's been there 2 years an has never had HB pay for the 3rd bedroom

[BulldogDrummond]

If people have extra bedrooms, why don't they take in a lodger? Perhaps a single person on the local Council waiting list.

Am I talking rubbish? If I am, I'm sure someone will tell me. If they take a lodger, I suppose they will lose all sorts of benefits and they don't want to do that!

[BeeBee12]

I dont see the problem with it.Its usually the case that people claiming hb have bigger properties than homeowners so its fair really.I dont agree with it for the disabled.

[TroublesomeEx]

Bull I don't think you can take on a lodger if you are claiming HB, but you could find someone to fill that room and then split the whole rent 50/50. This could still be covered by HB.

[ErikNorseman]

Bulldog if you claim Hb and have a lodger you can only keep £20pw of what they pay, the rest is deducted from Hb. Logical but it doesn't help much with the Hb issue.

[Cheekychops84]

Unfair for the disabled. Can take years to get house adapted

[TroublesomeEx]

Its usually the case that people claiming hb have bigger properties than homeowners

Mm, not sure there's any evidence to suggest this!

You can't claim HB for a bigger house than you need, they reduce the HB they pay.

Some people who are homeowners live in massive houses!