Bedroom Tax: Disabled win right to appeal against “unjust” law

Critics say new housing benefit regulations are unjustified and unlawfully discriminate against the weak and vulnerable

Chris Burton who is £200 in rent arrears since the benefits shake-up

Manchester Evening News Syndication

Disabled people have won the right to appeal against the controversial new "bedroom tax."

An appeal judge has ruled ten test cases should be heard, as they raise issues of public importance.

The cases are said to illustrate the serious impact of the regulations on disabled people living in social housing across Britain.

The appeal is against a High Court decision in July upholding the legality of new housing benefit regulations critics say are unjustified and unlawfully discriminate against the weak and vulnerable in society.

The regulations, introduced on April 1, led to reductions in benefit payments to tenants assessed to be under-occupying their accommodation.

Under new "size criteria", tenants with one spare bedroom have had a payment reduction of 14% and those deemed to have two or more spare, a reduction of 25%.

Demonstration over bedroom tax outside the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow

 
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rejects the "bedroom tax" tag and says the reality is that "a spare room subsidy" has been removed from social sector tenants.

It says local councils are being given discretionary housing payment funding so that they can help vulnerable residents with all the welfare housing reforms.

It says this includes disabled people affected by the removal of the spare-room subsidy.

DWP lawyers contend reduction of rising housing benefit expenditure is a legitimate and "integral aspect" of the Government's deficit reduction programme.

The change in regulations is expected to produce savings of £500m a year.

But Ugo Hayter, a lawyer from legal firm Leigh Day, who is representing two cases of adults with disabilities said: "We are extremely pleased to be able to take our fight to the Court of Appeal.

"We remain confident that this unfair - and we believe unlawful - bedroom tax will be repealed."

Mirror