Bedroom tax forces THOUSANDS of disabled people to cut back on food and heating

In a letter to Iain Duncan Smith, heads of more than 50 charities say tax is having a “devastating impact” on an estimated 330,000 disabled people

Under fire: Iain Duncan Smith

Thousands of disabled people are cutting back on food and heating as the Bedroom Tax forces them “deeper and deeper” into debt, charities have said.

In a letter to Iain Duncan Smith, the heads of more than 50 charities said the tax was having a “devastating impact” on an estimated 330,000 disabled people and carers.

They say 9 in 10 disabled claimants or their carers are having to cut back on food and heating as a result of the tax.

And they blast the Work and Pensions Secretary for claiming the disabled would be “protected” from the tax which came into force in April this year.

An estimated 330,000 disabled have been hit, seeing their housing benefit docked by £14 a week on average.

The letter was signed by the chief executives of organisations including Disability Rights UK, Scope, Sense, Carers UK, The Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Council For Disabled Children.

“We have been deeply frustrated at reports that disabled people and their families are protected from this policy.

“The stark evidence since the policy was implemented in April clearly shows they are not,” the letter says.
Charity chiefs say they are hearing “time after time” from disabled people and carers who are being forced “deeper and deeper” into debt because of the bedroom tax.

The bedroom tax docks the housing benefit of anyone in a council or housing association property deemed to have a spare room.

But one of Britain’s largest housing associations, Peabody, says there are not enough one-bed homes for victims of the bedroom tax to move it. It says it has 1,600 applicants for rehousing and only 145 places.

Pledge: Rachel Reeves

“The Government’s under-occupancy charge has a significant impact on vulnerable people, and we are working with other housing associations and councils to try and increase the options for people needing to move,” Peabody told Sky News.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves said: “Labour has called on David Cameron to reverse his unfair and unworkable Bedroom Tax because we can see the impact it is having on hard pressed and often vulnerable people, the majority of whom are disabled.

“If he doesn’t repeal the Bedroom Tax, the next Labour government will.”

A Department of Work and Pensions spokeswoman said “We are determined to support those who might need extra help through these necessary reforms.

“That is why we set aside £190million this year to do precisely this, with £25million specifically for disabled people living in specially adapted properties.

“The courts have ruled we are meeting our equality duties to disabled people who are affected by the policy.

“The removal of the spare room subsidy means we still pay the majority of most claimants’ rent, but the taxpayer can no longer afford to pay the £500million cost of claimants’ extra bedrooms.”

Mirror