Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Bedroom Tax: Single mother who begged for a smaller house took overdose over £600 bill

Sunday+People

Melissa Jones, 31, took sleeping pills to escape her torment over the hated government levy, which the Sunday People is campaigning against.





Elaine Jones with daughter Melissa Photo: James Maloney
Elaine Jones with daughter Melissa Photo: James Maloney


A desperate single mum attempted suicide after the Bedroom Tax left her in debt.
Melissa Jones, 31, took sleeping pills to escape her torment over the hated government levy, which the Sunday People is campaigning against.

She was hit with a £50-a-week charge because she shares a three-bedroomed house with her six-year-old son Ryan.

Melissa frantically tried to downsize to a smaller home but housing bosses were unable to find her a suitable property, saying “demand exceeds supply”.

After running up a debt of £600 she decided to end her life.

Her story echoes that of grandmother Stephanie Bottrill, who killed herself last month and left notes blaming the Bedroom Tax.

Melissa said:
“I just couldn’t take it any more. And I thought at least if I was gone my mum could look after Ryan.
“I have been looking for houses but they were saying there were none.”
She spent months searching the Liverpool area for somewhere suitable. Melissa had even looked at private renting but could not afford the deposit.
Her mum Elaine, 53, said:
“She’d been saying for a while that she couldn’t cope with it. She told me, ‘This Bedroom Tax is driving me mad.’ It’s disgusting.”
Some 660,000 social housing tenants are being hit by the tax, introduced on April 1.
Many are already in arrears as the charge sees an average benefit cut of £14 for those with one extra room and £25 for more. Up to 16,000 of them live in Merseyside, where housing bosses say their tenants are suffering.

Alan Rogers, boss of Cobalt Housing, the association that looks after Melissa’s property, said no action would be taken over her arrears. It will also help her find a new home. And he called on the Government to urgently reconsider the tax. Mr Rogers said:
“The Bedroom Tax is putting many of our customers under terrible pressure. We have dedicated staff offering practical help. We believe the Bedroom Tax is deeply unfair and we urge the Government to think again.”
Stephen Twigg, MP for West Derby in Liverpool, said: “Melissa’s case reminds us how unjust and cruel the Bedroom Tax is.”

If you feel desperate about the tax, contact the Samaritans on 08457 909090 or www.samaritans.org