Ros Wynne-Jones meets the people who are suffering a year after Bedroom Tax as rent arrears have rocketed, more families have resorted to food banks and now as Austerity Britain bites the Met Police have invested in water cannon
A fortnight ago, two fire engines, six police cars, two police vans, a riot van and police dog teams surrounded a suburban house.
Earlier that morning, bailiffs had attempted to evict a father of four from the property he had lived in for 30 years over Bedroom Tax arrears.
Neighbours say that when the bailiffs arrived, the man had threatened to blow himself up. He is now in custody, awaiting trial in November.
Campaigners say he would have been exempt from the Bedroom Tax all along, thanks to a loophole in the legislation recently closed by Government.
His family say his property was left outside his home in a skip and has now all been stolen.
A year after welfare reform brought in measures such as the Bedroom Tax and other cuts to the social safety net, evictions are beginning.
Rent arrears have built to unmanageable proportions. After a year of going to foodbanks, hope and patience are wearing thin.
As summer approaches, the Met Police in London are investing in water cannon. Austerity’s bite is deepening.
Yesterday, research from the High Pay Centre showed the poorest fifth of British households are now among the most economically deprived in western Europe, suffering levels of poverty on a par with those in the former Eastern bloc.
Last month, David Garbett, 46, from Sunderland, chained himself and his wheelchair to the railings of Southwick Jobcentre because his Employment Support Allowance stopped on April 5.
He suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, has carpal tunnel syndrome in his hands and has two titanium feet following an accident in 2007.
Tired of going to the foodbank with his partner Allison Macpherson, who is recovering from breast cancer, and struggling to pay rent and bills, he took desperate action.
He explained: “I’ve been having tests for the past 11 months, then I got a letter saying they were stopping my money. Me and my partner’s heads have been all over the place.”
This week, I spoke to Jonathan Collinge, a single father from Ilkeston in Derbyshire, who chained himself to his local Jobcentre at the end of April.
Seven years ago, Jonathan was in a motorcycle crash on his way to visit his dad, who had brain cancer. His left arm was amputated, and he was left in severe pain for which he takes three different types of morphine and sleeping tablets.
He has also developed severe problems in his right arm from over-using it.
Not surprisingly, he has found it hard to get work, and was receiving Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance.
When that was assessed by ATOS for the new Employment Support Allowance, he was told he was fit for work.
Read more...
Earlier that morning, bailiffs had attempted to evict a father of four from the property he had lived in for 30 years over Bedroom Tax arrears.
Neighbours say that when the bailiffs arrived, the man had threatened to blow himself up. He is now in custody, awaiting trial in November.
Campaigners say he would have been exempt from the Bedroom Tax all along, thanks to a loophole in the legislation recently closed by Government.
His family say his property was left outside his home in a skip and has now all been stolen.
A year after welfare reform brought in measures such as the Bedroom Tax and other cuts to the social safety net, evictions are beginning.
Rent arrears have built to unmanageable proportions. After a year of going to foodbanks, hope and patience are wearing thin.
As summer approaches, the Met Police in London are investing in water cannon. Austerity’s bite is deepening.
Yesterday, research from the High Pay Centre showed the poorest fifth of British households are now among the most economically deprived in western Europe, suffering levels of poverty on a par with those in the former Eastern bloc.
Last month, David Garbett, 46, from Sunderland, chained himself and his wheelchair to the railings of Southwick Jobcentre because his Employment Support Allowance stopped on April 5.
He suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, has carpal tunnel syndrome in his hands and has two titanium feet following an accident in 2007.
Tired of going to the foodbank with his partner Allison Macpherson, who is recovering from breast cancer, and struggling to pay rent and bills, he took desperate action.
He explained: “I’ve been having tests for the past 11 months, then I got a letter saying they were stopping my money. Me and my partner’s heads have been all over the place.”
This week, I spoke to Jonathan Collinge, a single father from Ilkeston in Derbyshire, who chained himself to his local Jobcentre at the end of April.
Seven years ago, Jonathan was in a motorcycle crash on his way to visit his dad, who had brain cancer. His left arm was amputated, and he was left in severe pain for which he takes three different types of morphine and sleeping tablets.
He has also developed severe problems in his right arm from over-using it.
Not surprisingly, he has found it hard to get work, and was receiving Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance.
When that was assessed by ATOS for the new Employment Support Allowance, he was told he was fit for work.
Read more...
