Caroline: Over 200 disabled people in Brighton and Hove pushed into debt by Bedroom Tax

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for  Brighton Pavilion, today described the Coalition’s bedroom tax as  “brutal”, citing new evidence that over two hundred disabled people in Brighton and Hove have been pushed into rental arrears for the first time by the policy.

Speaking in a parliamentary debate today, the  MP for Brighton Pavilion, said the Government “simply doesn’t care”  that a disproportionate number of council tenants affected by the policy, which cuts benefits for people living in council or housing association property with a spare room, are disabled.

New figures obtained by Lucas from Brighton and Hove City Council, which has passed a no-eviction policy to try to protect people* , show that:

• 1,270 people in Brighton and Hove are affected by the Bedroom Tax
• Of these 1,270  800 are in council accommodation
• Of these 800, 300 are newly in rental arrears (i.e. they were up to date with their rental payments before the Bedroom Tax was imposed)
• Of these  300, 205 are disabled

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

“This is a brutal policy, and the Government simply doesn’t care that some of the most vulnerable in our society – many of whom have disabilities  – are being hit hard.

 “It’s  worse than Victorian that the poor are being targeted by this tax, especially when the richest are benefiting from tax cuts.  And it’s horrifying that such a high proportion of those affected are disabled.   The policy risks pushing people who are already desperate into the hands of pay day loan sharks.

“The bedroom tax is a cruel and counterproductive measure from a Government that seems completely indifferent to the impact of its policies.

“They say that people can get money from the Discretionary Housing Payments fund but that just isn’t enough.  It has to help people affected by all the welfare cuts.   Brighton and Hove City Council’s DHP allocation for this year is just over £1million.  That’s a drop in the ocean compared to the total reduction in benefit expenditure resulting from all the Government’s cuts, which is over £13 million.”

*Notes to editors

1) The Green-led administration in Brighton and Hove has passed the following ‘non-eviction policy’:

That for a transitional period until 1st April 2014, where (i) all other avenues have been explored, and (ii) transfer is the only option but there are no suitable properties to transfer to, and (iii) where it is possible to clearly identify that arrears are solely due to the under-occupancy penalty; officers will use all means other than evictions and bailiffs to recover rent due.”

2) View Caroline's speech on the bedroom tax from February:  http://www.carolinelucas.com/blog/2013/11/12/speech-on-bedroom-tax,-february-2013/