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?

[BeeBee12]

Folkgirl - sorry should of said in my town.If youron hb you have the choice nice big house, garden etc but if you own all families under 30 I know live in a 1 or 2 bed flat.Y

[TroublesomeEx]

Ah well don't even get me started on the reasons for that, BeeBee! We'd be here all day!

You still can't get HB for a larger house than you need. If you receive LHA it is possible to do that if you live in a poorer area.

[Bumblebee333]

Who is eligible for housing benefit? Is it worked out on your income?

[BeeBee12]

Yeah its on income.Here you can get lovely properties the kind that professionals live in.I realise its not like that everywhere but here its better to be on hb than paying mortgage really.

[TroublesomeEx]

It is worked out on income, but they also consider the needs of the family and the size of the property.

They won't pay out HB for a larger sized property than the family needs.

[BeeBee12]

I think it must depend on area LHA allowances here mean a family of 4 can get a big house, garden, garage etc but to buy that would be 180k upwards

[ratspeaker]

Its not a tax it's laying down in law the circumstance in which housing benefit will be payed. If you live somewhere that is deemed larger than required you will have to pay the extra rent amount yourself
Now that seems reasonable BUT I have heard that parents who have a child overnight say one day a week will have problems, that those needing a room for a carer will be the same.

These sort of rules already apply in certain local authorities. In Edinburgh, so I am told, a single unemployed under 25 year old will be told they will get enough HB to pay for a room in a shared flat.

[Bumblebee333]

People shouldn't take up big house that they don't need anymore. Unless you have bought a house surely you should always be prepared to leave it it the owners discretion whether the owner is the council or a private landlord?

[gobbledegook1]

If you have non resident children that stay with you under this new rule they won't be entitled to a bedroom at your property.

[usualsuspect]

So the poorest in society will once again be targeted.

No change there then.

[Dahlen]

How can it be better to be on HB than paying a mortgage? At the end of the latter you own a house.

The only way to make this sort of situation fair is to build more social housing. If we want people to downsize as their housing needs change, (e.g. an adult child leaves home) then it would help enormously if the residents could move to an alternative house in their local area rather than several miles away in many instances. If you have younger children, for example, this may entail moving schools, increased commuting costs (let's not forget that only 1 in 9 HB recipients are unemployed), less close support network for elderly relatives, etc.

[BaronVonAwesome]

Ah right, ok. I'm not sure how it's all worked out, we're had our claim in since APRIL and they are still faffing around telling us they need X proof of whatever even though they've previously said they don't, losing paperwork, etc. Basically we've not seen a penny from them yet and I'll probably be back at work before they pay up! At least it will clear our council tax arrears, whenever they pay up.

[BeeBee12]

I deeply regret buying a house dahlen.I worry about my kids getting picked on over it.Allmy friends agree that own places a child doesnt understand why they havent got a proper house or garden.It might be from hb but kids dot understand. I do think this evens things out a bit in my area where you can only get a nice place if a profession or on hb

[GoodPhariseeofDerby]

The vast majority on HB are employed due to the high cost of housing and low wages. From what I've seen, I'm not sure how it is different from now where you only get what the LHA says you need for your family size, though I think it's going to make things more complicated for foster carers on lower incomes, people with non-resident children, and recent empty nesters who will be drawn between downsizing and wanting space for their children in their 20s in case they fall on hard times and are unable to get help due to new rules.

We have had a lodger while on HB. They have to either get their own claim or a certain amount is deducted. For us, we have to charge slightly over the average price of a room for our area to make it even, but really it has worked really well for us.

[Prarieflower]

Sounds like a brilliant idea.

We have a family member in a 4 bed council house in Surrey with a huge garden.All her children have left home and the house would be far better suited to a new family.If said lady wants to pay for the unused rooms herself then fine I don't see why the tax payer should.If this persuades said lady to move into a property better suited too her needs thus giving a new bigger family a decent home it can only be a positive thing.

I rented for years privately and only rented properties suited to our needs ie I wouldn't have chucked money away on rooms I didn't need. Tax payers shouldn't fund people to do this who wouldn't dream of doing it if they were funding it themselves or at the full rental market rate.

[usualsuspect]

Why are posters making this all about social housing? plenty of people who live in private rents get HB.

[BeeBee12]

Im not talking of social housing Im talking about private housing.I only know a handful of people in social houses.An ex council house will set you back 150 only people in decent jobs live in them now

[expatinscotland]

It's not a tax.

Thing is, where do you move/downsize if you have young children? Chances are, there will be no HA/council property available for a secure tenancy to which to downsize, so the alternative is to suck it up or try to find a private let that will take HB/LHA and all the insecurity that goes with that.

[JamNan]

So the poorest in society will once again be targeted.

No change there then.

Usualsuspect is totally correct. It is a myth perpetuated by the likes of the Daily Fail that HB claimants are living an affluent lifestyle in large houses. The claim is assessed on how many bedrooms you need and your income which is means-tested - the cut off point being surprisingly low. The introduction of the LHA makes it even harder to find private rental accommodation that is affordable. Many landlords in the private sector will not take tenants who claim HB although one is not obliged to tell them. On the other hand it's a win-win situation for landlords with HB payments being passed on via their tenants to fund their Buy-to Let-mortgages.

[expatinscotland]

Exactly, usual. Private renters are subject to the LHA caps, though.

[cantspel]

A Disabled tenant or partner who needs non resident overnight carer will still be allowed an extra bedroom. But non resident parents wont be.

Children of same gender under 16 to be expected to share and children of any gender under 10 expected to share.

I think that is pretty fair. Ok it is a bit thought on non resident parents but can the tax payer afford to pay for a 3 bed home when 2 of those beds are only being under 2 or 3 night a week?

[expatinscotland]

Council/HA tenants who claim HB are subject to the bedroom rules.

[usualsuspect]

Where are all these smaller houses going to magically appear from?

[Bumblebee333]

So what's the maximum you can earn to be entitled to some help?

[OddBoots]

In some cases it might encourage families to take in an elderly relative, that's not always for the best but in some situations it might be. I'm really not sure how it is all going to work with regard to the other change where under 25s will be expected to move back with parents rather than claim HB.