A poll of housing associations found 72,000 tenants were in arrears. Associations account for just under half of people in social housing
An estimated 144,000 tenants have fallen behind with their rent thanks to the hated bedroom tax, research out today shows.
But the number of struggling tenants could be double when council homes are factored in.
About 14% of those unable to pay the rent have received eviction notices since the £14-a-week spare room charge was introduced in April, the National Housing Federation found.
Chief executive David Orr said the “unfair” tax was “heaping misery and hardship” on struggling families.
He said: “Many are at risk of being evicted because they simply can’t find the extra money to pay their rent.
“Housing associations are doing all they can to avoid evicting residents, but as not-for-profit organisations they can’t write off unpaid rent.”
Labour’s Ian Lavery will today introduce a bill in Parliament to axe the bedroom tax, which he described as “a blatant swipe at ordinary people”.
Read more...
A poll of
housing associations found 72,000 tenants were in arrears. Associations
account for just under half of people in social housing.
About 14% of those unable to pay the rent have received eviction notices since the £14-a-week spare room charge was introduced in April, the National Housing Federation found.
Chief executive David Orr said the “unfair” tax was “heaping misery and hardship” on struggling families.
He said: “Many are at risk of being evicted because they simply can’t find the extra money to pay their rent.
“Housing associations are doing all they can to avoid evicting residents, but as not-for-profit organisations they can’t write off unpaid rent.”
Labour’s Ian Lavery will today introduce a bill in Parliament to axe the bedroom tax, which he described as “a blatant swipe at ordinary people”.
Read more...
