to question the cut in housing benefits for under occupying council tenants?

[Liketochat1]

In April next year the government are cutting housing benefits to working age council tenants who have more bedrooms than they need. They will be offered alternative accommodation of an appropriate size with no reduction in housing benefit as an alternative.
Is it fair to change the current system like this? To ask people to leave their homes and possibly the area in which they live? To expect siblings of the same gender to share a room?
Do you think it will be extended to include oaps who occupy properties which are too big for them. Should it?

Thanks for that sock I will do.
Well and truly shafted once again!

Maybe I am. I know little about it and trying to learn . Don't worry, I won't bother asking next time.

Naive enough to think I could ask a genuine question where I didn't consider myself an expert and get a non pissy answer. Yes. I am naive. Oh screw this.

Well yes if they have locally set targets to reduce homelessness or families living in substandard housing.
But anyway, I'm out of here. I don't need to come on here for a bashing. Screw this.

usual

Housing benefit and social housing are 2 different places for a start, so you are quite correct

However, housing can re aseasses you and give points to bid with, on a suitable ( smaller) property. If you are in social housing you can still either bid or exchange

Maybe housing will be coming up with a new policy and criteria for this?

Infinity you are making a classic error in that you are assuming that this policy has something to do with helping people.

It has nothing to do with helping people. This government believe in small government and are using the recession as an excuse to cut whatever they can.

This is simply one (of many) cuts they think they can get away with.

we got a information thing from our HA and I was shocked
a single person who is disabled enough to need 24/7 care is not entitled to 2 bedrooms.
so where do they put the carer

Infinity, I didn't mean that to have a go by the way! I hope it didn't come across like that!

I had a visit from my (social) landlord about this. If I don't get a job soon I will have to find £14 extra a week. I know that doesn't sound a lot, but at the moment it is.

I've written about this before.

I'm in a bungalow designed for a wheelchair user. I don't use a wheelchair yet, but I will at some point in the future. Accomodation like this is like hen's teeth to find. The housing association has built all wheelchair accessable accomodation with at least 2 bedrooms because many of their tennants will need a carer to stay over at least part of the time.

The housing association has a big problem because a lot of their tennants will need to be offered other accomodation, and they don't have it.

Yep great news especially after I've just been informed the three bed I, my husband and our daughter are underoccupying is still too small for the through floor lift I need to be more independant.
That makes my choices to underoccupy a four bed, which we couldn't afford to do for at least 4 years, to move to a bungalow too small to swing a cat in or go about having at least 2 more children quickly (v v v v baaaaad) in order to have a house I can use and also afford.

sashh very much like hens teeth - then try finding a property suitable for a family Argh!
At the moment I think you get extra HB if either you get high rate care DLA or can prove you need the extra bedroom for over night care - why this can't continue I don't know.

Is it fair no but there is very little choice housing shortages for families are a very big problem personally I think it is far worse families living in overcrowded accommodation than someone having to move on

Lots of people have no choice but to move from the home they love not just council tenants

FreudianGoldSLipper you are underestimating the amount of disruption and hardship this will cause. This will be a mass moving of people.

It is not being done to help people. It is being done for ideological reasons (they believe in small government and are making cuts wherever they can).

If there is very little housing for large families, why are the government not building more houses?

If the tenant has to pay 14% and they can't, after all HB isn't given out for fun, what happens if there are no small homes for them to move to? Will they then end up being homeless? Or is the shortwall waived if they agree to move but there's nothing available?

They were building more...... It was a forced condition if new build estates. Developers HAD to set aside a certain amount of new builds as social housing

But that rule was abolished last week......

How about increasing council tax for homeowners (and renters) for every unoccupied bedroom in their home?

This might free up larger houses for families as those with spare rooms downsized.

Thing is within two years we won't be overhoused, the kids will be of ages that a four bed will be acceptable in the new rules.

It took us 3.5 years to get this place, so if we move we'll be overcrowded again very quickly and given my kids probably won't leave home til later than many we'll be adequately housed for a very long time.

This is why I think I'm going to have to hang on, but I really don't want to have to use the kids' DLA to live on, that's not what it's for but we may have to.

Hopeforever are you kidding have you seen how hard it is to sell these days houses are on the market for years, young couples buy houses 3/4 bedrooms with a view to having children why should they be penalised for forward planning. This government doesn't have a clue how joe public live.

No wonder the Tories got in although I didn't vote for them. Tax homeowners for every spare room. It's this kind of attitude that has got the tories in in the first place. People are just simply fed up of paying out for everybody else. Sorry if that sounds harsh but it's true. That is the reason the Tories got in. Let's keep benefits for people truly in need not a gravy train.

Oh Vivienne you know why the Tories got in do you? You speak like you are an authority on the subject!

I'm not. I'm always in trouble with my friends for my views. But the thing is people have to think why did the Tories get in. When they are so awful, have such bad policies, have no thought for anybody and nobody likes them. Then why did people vote for them. And until the opposition answers that question the problem won't be solved.

Vivienne problem was that alot of people who voted them in where either affluent or to young to remember what happened the last time they got in.