Bedroom tax will hit thousands

Around 2,526 local social housing tenants may have to “downsize” to a new home or pay more rent as part of the dreaded bedroom tax.

Being phased in with the Government’s welfare reforms in April, the Size Criteria will affect those of working age recipients of housing benefit whose homes are considered too big for their needs.

The change means one bedroom is permitted for a couple, a person aged 16 and over, two children of the same sex up to age 16, or two children under 10.

Those considred to have too many bedrooms for their needs will receive a 14 per cent reduction in their housing benefit.

A couple on benefit in a two-bedroom flat, with a son or daughter in the armed forces or at university will be penalised for having an extra bedroom.

Councillor Jabbar said: “If they downsize to reduce the impact on their benefit, they won’t have a bedroom for their child to sleep in. If they don’t downsize, say their rent is £100 a week; they will have to pay an extra £14 a week.

“There is a shortage of one-bedroom properties and it’s a complex business, moving homes.

“There may not be a smaller home in an area you have lived in for years. There is an issue of people occupying large properties and we should do everything we can to downsize, but there are other ways of doing this. This will ruin communities.”