Terrified victims of domestic violence are being forced to pay the Bedroom Tax on “panic rooms” in their homes.
The ultra-secure spaces are only created by councils when tenants are known to be at real risk of attack from their brutal ex-partners.
Despite this, hundreds of women are now being told their potentially life-saving sanctuaries will cost them a chunk of their housing benefit.
The panic rooms – spare bedrooms with strong bolts on the doors and bars on the windows – are provided so women can flee there with their children if under attack. Many have a direct phone line to the police.
But data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows that 281 households in these “sanctuary” schemes have been told to pay around £14 a week extra. The problem is worst in the north east of England where a quarter of homes with panic rooms have been hit with charges.
Campaigners are now calling for a change in the hated new regulations forced through by Tory Work And Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.
Polly Neate of Women’s Aid said: “The Bedroom Tax is putting women and children at risk. It took no note of the difficulties survivors of domestic violence face in moving and at a time when there is a severe lack of safe, smaller properties for them to move into.”
The controversial new charges are also hitting kidney dialysis patients who treat themselves at home, even though they save the NHS an average £15,000 a year by not going to hospital.
Nick Palmer of the National Kidney Federation, which is already dealing with dozens of such cases, said: “We are very disappointed these very vulnerable people, who often can’t work, are being penalised for saving the NHS a lot of money.
“Dialysis at home is very cost-effective. And it’s not just the saving of time in hospital. There are reduced transport costs and less complications.”
Government ministers claim the charge will save £490million a year and free up badly-needed larger properties.But the new charge is hitting vulnerable people such as the disabled, who often need an extra room.
Anna Bird of the disability charity Scope said: “For the vast majority of disabled people these are not spare bedrooms, these are essential rooms. We’ve spoken to disabled people who aren’t able to share a specially-adapted bed with their partner so they sleep in a separate room.
“But they are being forced to move or find the extra cash they don’t have to pay their rent. Many are struggling to make ends meet and getting in debt just to pay for essentials.”
Two-thirds of households affected by the new tax cannot find the cash to pay their rent, according to the National Housing Federation.
In a survey of 183 housing associations the federation found 66 per cent of their residents affected were in arrears.
More than 522,000 people on housing benefit have had it reduced by an average of £14.50 a week .Another 92,000 had their benefits cut for having two “excess” bedrooms, losing around £23.43 a week.
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