Bedroom tax 2

[PremierD]

The post is not part of this thread meaty .. so leave it ..

[Kalipo]

May be helpful for reducing the bill for the long-term unemployed, providing the houses are available for them to move into as circumstances change.

The problem is that the electorate think that welfare = scroungers (long term unemployed), when probably the majority who are on some form of welfare or benefit will be not be long term unemployed but low-income, disabled, key workers, or short term unemployed. However, because the electorate thinks welfare = scroungers, then conservative policy is set up to punish the minority of scroungers with no thought to what effect it has on other welfare claimants.

Just need to look at Cameron's reluctance to apply any of these cuts to the elderly, even to the very richest, for example by applying this scheme to over 60s, or by means testing winter fuel allowance. Elderly people and the rich are his key electorate.

[GastonJ]

Back on post. If there's no suitable accomodation available for the amount of residents in a premises it's out of order. If there is and they refuse to move then they pay for it.

That's the thing, there's isn't enough accommodation, otherwise there'd be no homeless people.

The problem with such broad brush ideas is that unless they have a book full of exceptions what happens?

1) Single man, or wamon,, employed has 2 bedroomed flat, loses his job on Friday, is he expected to move on Saturday? If not they'll soon be in arrears?
2) Family of 3 in 2 bedroomed house on the dole, only kid dies, do they have to move the next day? or soon be in arrears?
3) Two people live in a 3 bedroom house, working partner gets cancer, has to stop work and be in hospital a lot, get SSP? Arrears and kicked out becuase of being ill?

That's a couple of extreme examples, but I've seen nothing form anywhere saying that those people will not suffer as a result of the changes. Where will the saved money go? It'll go nowhere and the taxpayers will see nothing in return.

I have to add that there's also the talk of under 25's not getting anything at all? What about the abused teenager who has the choice of staying at home and being sexually abused or even killed, or leaving home? They will be provided for? I've seen no safety net for that either.

Tories just see money, morals and humanity come a poor second, if at all.

Those supporters who claim that all unemployed and sick are just scroungers should put themselves in their position and not go with the "what's in it for me Tory party". They jump on the bandwagon so easily without thinking of the consequences for themselves if ever they are unfortunate enough to lose their jobs or become ill and have to rely on the welfare state - I'm sure they'd soon be crying Even that's a joke now, there is no welfare state it's being dismantled. So there's a few who do swing the lead, but why do the majority who need help have to suffer? - because you think that cutting their benefit will cut 1pence of your income tax, or is it purely to boost your own low self asteem so that you can think you're better than anyone else?

[nara]

Just remember before posting any kind of comment. This is an open forum meaning you dont have to be a member to view posts.

I don't see the problem. It lets prospective members see how the forum is run.

Honesty is always the best policy.

[sav0]

What I feel to see is that the bedroom tax is only for people living in council accommodation If they are claiming housing benefit shouldn't it apply to both council and privately rented? whats the difference both are still claiming and more times than not private rented is actually costing more.

This will get axed eventually when they find out it will actually cost the tax payer ie you and me more than whats its actually saving

Do MP's actually spend any of their salaries as they get their 2nd homes paid for by us and their expenses are more than the average salary of the average worker. They should do what they preach I would love to see any MP live on JS allowance for a month and see how they manage.

[bonus2010]

Oh... dear, I'm disappointed I've missed all the fun on "bedroom tax 1 thread". I'm against the bedroom tax.. it's the kinda policy that could only be invented by Tories. I do realise that the welfare benefits system is in a mess, but this is not the way to go about it. I've always felt a much better idea is to use the welfare money to create jobs in the public sector for long-term unemployed people including disabled people (if they are healthy enough to do certain types of work). That way we could reduce the amount of employees needed by the DWP by closing Job Centres

[firestorm]

The Tories made the whole situation worse when they started selling council houses off.The less social housing the more homeless.The amount of money being saved by this evil tax is tiny compared to the tax not collected from large company's.I have read that ?160bn is uncollected in corporation tax where as the whole benefit saving including the sadistic atos test is ?1.4bn and ?16bn of benefits are left unclaimed.
Time to pick on the poor or those who can answer back seem the same all through out life.

[gmb45]

whats not been thought about as well when they decided on this crazy tax is this is going to stop a lot of single people getting places from the council/housing associations especially hoosing associations because them just on jsa wont be able to afford the tax, the associations are now going to be looking into what benefits the applicant gets before deciding if they can become a tennant, where as before they could have had a 2 bed place, not now tho, we all know theres not enuff one bed places to go around, this came from the staff of a hoosing association.

[johnboy1974]

Just wanted to say that the mods on here do a very very good job. It's a difficult job which they do voluntarily.
Back on topic I had a wee woman in my taxi yesterday who was forced to move out of her home of 30 years and into a brand spanking new two bedroomed home in Glasgow. She fought it the whole way but ultimately she was forced to move.
Now she gets a letter informing her that her benefits will be cut 40 odd quid unless she moves again to a one bedroomed house. How can anyone say this is fair.

Also spoke to a bigwig from the gha, who are glasgows biggest housing association.
Guess what, if a single person on benefits walks in today looking for a house, then it's standard practise to give them a two bedroomed home. How bloody stupid is that!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[jordigirl]

[QUOTE=sav0;1870499]What I feel to see is that the bedroom tax is only for people living in council accommodation If they are claiming housing benefit shouldn't it apply to both council and privately rented? whats the difference both are still claiming and more times than not private rented is actually costing more.


this does also apply to people living in privately rented accommodation, who are claiming benefits

[Canker_Canison]

What I feel to see is that the bedroom tax is only for people living in council accommodation If they are claiming housing benefit shouldn't it apply to both council and privately rented? whats the difference both are still claiming and more times than not private rented is actually costing more.

Private renting has been subject to this for years as far as I'm aware.
Housing benefit is only paid for rooms needed, so a single person in a two bedroom house will only recieve benefit for the livingroon, diningroom, kitchen, bathroom & a single bedroom. Benefit will not be paid for the second bedroom.

All that's happened is that social housing has been brought inline with private rent. Unless I'm missing something.

[Shady]

rent the spare rooms out to prossies..

councils get their tax, homeowners can have a bit extra..

shot in the arm for the british economy

(maybe a shot in the arm for the druggy whores too, but thats just a wrinkle that can be ironed out)

[bonus2010]

@Canker_Canison

I think the bit your missing is; while there has been restrictions on housing benefit on private rents according to bedroom needs, the tenants have been advised on this prior to signing for the tenancy. If the BT was to be applied to new social housing lets, then it may have been seen as fairer.

[Canker_Canison]

rent the spare rooms out to prossies..

I like that idea.... Not sure the girlfriend will see it in the same light

@Canker_Canison

I think the bit your missing is; while there has been restrictions on housing benefit on private rents according to bedroom needs, the tenants have been advised on this prior to signing for the tenancy. If the BT was to be applied to new social housing lets, then it may have been seen as fairer.

Possibly true. But when it happened to me all I got was a letter advising that less housing benefit would be paid from a certain date. I didn't get months of notice, it was more like 3 weeks.

When the bedroom tax was announced I was a little confused, until I relised what they were doing. I had always thought that everyone claiming housing benefit was treated the same way. As it turns out I was wrong. There are millions of people in private rent that have had to cope with lower housing benefit for years. While those in social housing had it easy. I don't remember anyone kicking off then like they are now.
Maybe that's because a higher portion of them work & get less housing benefit to start with. But there were just as many, if not more, that faced the same decision as those in social housing now.

One thing I don't like is the under 25 ban. This makes no sense. In the perfect world, at 18 a person is supposed to be employed or in education. There's nothing stopping an 18 year old from landing a great job, starting a family at 21 & finding themselves made redundant at 23. Will they really be refused housing benefit because they're under 25?

It's obvious what they are trying to stop. Kids hit 16-18, knock out a couple of kids themselves so they can get a place of their own, without even thinking about getting a job to pay for it.

If the government want to come up with some draconian measures to save money. Why don't they just sterilize everyone who has been out of education for more than a year, who have never had a job, show the same reading & writing abilities as a cabbage & have a lower IQ than a dead rat?


Ok, rant over.

[bonus2010]

It's obvious what they are trying to stop. Kids hit 16-18, knock out a couple of kids themselves so they can get a place of their own, without even thinking about getting a job to pay for it.

Interesting what you say about under-25s housing benefit... I've not heard anything being said about not qualifying for HB if accomodation is needed for children.. If what you say is true then children of under 25s who are unemployed would be getting put into care surely...