Tag Archives: bedroom tax
£400,000 bedroom tax rebate in Liverpool
More than 700 people in Liverpool are to share in a £400,000 rebate because of a government gaffe over the bedroom tax.
The awards will largely be around the £560 mark, and should be given to tenants in the next couple of weeks.
The loophole in the coalition’s highly controversial “spare room subsidy” deduction meant that anyone who had been resident in the same house since 1996 and receiving housing benefit all that time should have been exempt from having to make up the difference in their rent.
The Liverpool news follows the recent discovery that up to 600 households in Wirral could be entitled to a rebate.
Woman told to find work is in a COMA
A mentally ill woman forced on to the Coalition’s Work Programme is in a coma – but is still being sent letters by benefits assessors.
Bipolar patient Sheila Holt, 47, was sectioned in December after being taken off Income Support. Days later she had a heart attack and fell into the coma.
This weekend, Miss Holt, of Rochdale, Gtr Manchester, was sent a letter by Atos to ask why she was not working.
Local Labour MP Simon Danczuk said: “I am in favour of welfare reform but trying to bulldoze through changes in a reckless and insensitive way is not the right way to go about it.
“This Government is causing a huge amount of damage and I have no doubt that Sheila’s story is being repeated in towns and cities up and down the country.
‘Exempt carers from Bedroom Tax’
A LABOUR councillor called for Charnwood Borough Council to treat carers in the same manner as war widows and exempt them from the Spare Room Subsidy known as the Bedroom Tax.
“There are 21 households including a resident carer affected by the Bedroom Tax”
Coun Robert Sharp, deputy leader of the opposition Labour group, told a full council meeting: “There are 21 households including a resident carer affected by the Bedroom Tax. In view of the small numbers could the leader agree to treat carers in the same manner as war widows and exempt them from the Bedroom Tax.”
Coun Jane Hunt, speaking on behalf of Coun Jenny Bokor, who is the lead member for benefits, said the council understands the personal sacrifice made by all those who act as carers. She said that discretionary funds were available to support them but that some of the carers level of income exceeded £670 a week, which would exclude them from accessing the funds.
