Thousands of people across Dorset will be effected by the Government’s introduction of the controversial ‘bedroom tax’ in April.
The penalty scheme will apply to tenants of social housing who are deemed to be under-occupying their home and will, on average, reduce their housing benefit by over £50 a month.
In order to avoid the penalties tenants are encouraged to move out of their home to a smaller house with fewer bedrooms, although this could be just as expensive. Many young families are being charged as children are expected to share a bedroom until they’re ten, or 16 if both the same gender.
Single mum, Kim Cotton, is in a three-bedroom house with her son, eight, and daughter 11, however as custody is split between her and her ex-husband, she is deemed to have an extra bedroom. She will lose over £600 a year which she can’t afford, but moving will be too costly as well.
“I won’t get any financial help to move and I just can’t afford it at the moment. It could end up costing me more with the removal costs and there’s a waiting list for around five years for a council house in the area so I would still end up paying bedroom tax while I’m here waiting,” said Cotton.
Being self-employed Cotton is currently taking in no wages so her only option is to convince the Council she is in need of a three-bed house, she also feels leaving would be ‘too much upheaval for the children.’
“We moved here seven years ago, the children have lived here pretty much all they’re life. It’s the only place they see as home, we’ve got pets buried in the garden,” said Cotton.
Bournemouth Borough Council have confirmed that in order to ensure all social housing tenants are aware of the changes they have been visiting residents and are also releasing leaflets offering an explanation.
They released an official statement explaining, “If this reduction in benefits becomes law, then this will probably free up larger houses that are currently under occupied by tenant(s). There is a desperate need for family sized accommodation in the town and it does seem unjust when perhaps one person may be occupying a property that is too large for their needs.”
Across the UK it is estimated that 249,000 households in social housing are overcrowded, it was this statistic that prompted action from the Government.
Lyn and Mike Davidson, from Poole, are having to give up their family home of 23 years due to the reforms and say that they have only received one letter from Poole Council to inform them of the changes.
“Paying for it would be too much of a struggle. They (Poole Council) don’t care about our circumstances, how much we’ve spent on our home. We haven’t spent a lot obviously because we haven’t got a lot but its still our home,” said Lyn, 58.
They live in a three-bed house and accept that it’s suitable for a family yet Mike is registered disabled with leg ulcers and they haven’t been able to find a new house suitable for him.
“He’s got to have a downstairs loo, there’s not many of them about, and have got to be near a bus stop because he can’t walk very far, so far they’ve either got the downstairs loo or the bus stop, not both,” said Lyn.
Three years ago the couple had a new fireplace installed worth £1500 after Mike’s late mother offered to pay for it and now say they wouldn’t have spent the money if they knew they were going to leave.
Another affected is Mum of two Sam Wrapley, of Southborne, she agrees with Cotton that moving is too expensive and would effect her children.
“Lewis was one when we moved in and Chelsea was going on to three, so that that’s all they remember as their home, They’ve got their friends, the school, the doctors, I don’t think moving is an option. It’s a matter of paying it.
She will lose almost £80 a month from April but only until next year when her daughter turns ten.
“I have to try and find the money for a year and four months, some people have to pay it a lot longer but it will be struggling for a year.”
In many parts of the country families bringing lodgers into their home to fill up the rooms, however in Bournemouth this is proving difficult, as there is such a high amount of private lettings. There are almost 40,000 private tenants in the Town.
The Davidsons considered bringing in a tenant but Lyn says it wouldn’t work, “We did think about it but then your house isn’t your home and you don’t know who you’re going to get” before adding, “It’s not like the Queen has got to rent out any of her bedrooms is it.”
Joe Nerssessian
This article was originally printed by – The Bournemouth Rock on 21st February 2013
