An urgent Department for Work and Pensions bulletin issued to councils shows
it is ‘panicking’ in the wake of nine successful bedroom tax tribunal challenges
by tenants, housing experts have claimed.
The bulletin, sent out last Thursday, asks councils to notify them of any
first tribunal decisions, so they can appeal even if the council intends not
to.Labour-run Redcar and Cleveland Council, which lost a tribunal challenge made by a tenant with disabilities last month, has no intention of appealing the decision themselves.
‘If anyone is going to appeal it will have to be the DWP,’ a source said. ‘We had no option but to apply the guidance, but we hope the judgement will help people with disabilities across the country.’
Sam Lister, policy and practice officer at the Chartered Institute of Housing said: ‘I think the DWP [is]panicking. [It is] worried that authorities might not want to appeal and would rather let the judgements stand.’
Joe Halewood, a housing benefit consultant, said the bulletin was ‘undoubtedly’ motivated by panic.
A spokesperson for the DWP said: ‘We routinely send out bulletins to councils requesting information and it is important we monitor decisions relating to our policies.’
Inside Housing
