Nearly a third of
disabled people hit by the bedroom tax have been refused discretionary housing
payments, a new survey released today shows.
The research, based on freedom of information requests sent to every council from the National Housing Federation, showed demand for DHP has nearly tripled this year, people in some areas are very unlikely to receive help.
Approximately 420,000 people affected by bedroom tax, according to Government estimates, are disabled. That makes two thirds of the total number of people affected, yet 29 per cent of disabled people who applied for DHP were turned down. In parts of Kent, just one in ten disabled people successfully secured DHP and less than three in ten successful in North East Derbyshire, Basildon, Rotherham and parts of Lancashire.
David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: ‘Whenever ministers are challenged on the bedroom tax, they tell us vulnerable people are not at risk because of these discretionary housing payments.
‘Now we know the truth: this so-called bedroom tax protection is starting to look like a postcode lottery, with many disabled people and vulnerable families facing miserable odds of getting help.’
The research showed seven in ten people affected by the bedroom tax who applied for DHP in the first six months of the policy received one.
However, in parts of North Yorkshire this fell to just two in ten, while in Wandsworth, Wokingham and Sunderland, only three in ten succeeded in getting a payment.
The survey also found that:
• The North East saw the biggest rise in demand for discretionary housing payments, with applications almost six times higher than in 2012, up 482 per cent.
• The East Midlands and North West saw the second and third largest spikes in demand, with applications up 326 per cent in the East Midlands compared to 2012 and 302 per cent in the North West.
Mr Orr added: ‘Even those who are lucky enough to get support will have to reapply time and time again, each time facing the stress and worry that the funds will be withdrawn, while councils are being inundated with applications.
‘This support fund is ineffective and deeply unfair – just like the bedroom tax itself. The only real solution is to repeal it.’
Interactive Map of Applications for Discretionary Housing Payments by the NHF
Inside Housing
National Housing Federation
The research, based on freedom of information requests sent to every council from the National Housing Federation, showed demand for DHP has nearly tripled this year, people in some areas are very unlikely to receive help.
Approximately 420,000 people affected by bedroom tax, according to Government estimates, are disabled. That makes two thirds of the total number of people affected, yet 29 per cent of disabled people who applied for DHP were turned down. In parts of Kent, just one in ten disabled people successfully secured DHP and less than three in ten successful in North East Derbyshire, Basildon, Rotherham and parts of Lancashire.
David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: ‘Whenever ministers are challenged on the bedroom tax, they tell us vulnerable people are not at risk because of these discretionary housing payments.
‘Now we know the truth: this so-called bedroom tax protection is starting to look like a postcode lottery, with many disabled people and vulnerable families facing miserable odds of getting help.’
The research showed seven in ten people affected by the bedroom tax who applied for DHP in the first six months of the policy received one.
However, in parts of North Yorkshire this fell to just two in ten, while in Wandsworth, Wokingham and Sunderland, only three in ten succeeded in getting a payment.
The survey also found that:
• The North East saw the biggest rise in demand for discretionary housing payments, with applications almost six times higher than in 2012, up 482 per cent.
• The East Midlands and North West saw the second and third largest spikes in demand, with applications up 326 per cent in the East Midlands compared to 2012 and 302 per cent in the North West.
Mr Orr added: ‘Even those who are lucky enough to get support will have to reapply time and time again, each time facing the stress and worry that the funds will be withdrawn, while councils are being inundated with applications.
‘This support fund is ineffective and deeply unfair – just like the bedroom tax itself. The only real solution is to repeal it.’
Interactive Map of Applications for Discretionary Housing Payments by the NHF
Inside Housing
National Housing Federation
