'bedroom Tax' - Anyone Agree With It?

[Gromit]

The so called 'Bedroom Tax' starts today. Anyone receiving Housing Benefit (HB) who has a spare room will have their HB reduced.

Will it solve the housing shortage?
or
Is it a cynical stealthy way to cut the benefits bill?

[mccfluff]

its not a tax.

i agree in principle with people getting housing benefit for the space they need not what they have but its very difficult to apply, thw diabled people/single parents in particular

[emmie]

i worked for over 40 years, paid tax, insurance and much more besides, and kept a lot of dossers on the dole. That is without the rent, council tax and much besides, all paid with the occasional moan about damn tax, but paid nevertheless, as did the o/h, he paid more than most, and didn't live to see any return on his investment. This country has it's priorities wrong, it will and is punishing those who have already paid, and will continue to punish them because others who can't be bothered get away scot free. I have one last comment on this, it's unfair and unjust and will see more people on the street, it will be a turning point like the poll tax.

[Iluvspikey]

I feel so sorry for you em10 - I don't honestly see how this 'policy' is going to work. It should be voluntary, for those who want to move. Why don't they look at all the unused properties above shops, or people who have second homes or have holiday lets - convert old hospital buildings - the QE in birmingham has a building 7 storeys high that has 50 single rooms 16' by 18' with bathrooms attached - make a bigger 8 bed ward room on the same floor a communal kitchen. How many closed hospitals, army barracks and old factories could be converted into homes for singles or couples who want to save a bit to get onto the property ladder
Just an idea - seem better than 'prosecuting' somebody beause they've got a spare room.

[friedgreentomato]

My answer was not to you though was it! It was to the OP but you felt the need to single me out of all the other responses.

A tad creepy don't you think?

[bednobs]

so people who worked over 40 years should just give up then? If i'm lucky enough to get to retirement age i will have worked around 55 years!

[emmie]

as you have done in the past, singled me out for no reason whatsoever.

[bednobs]

ps, it sounds a bit to me like you are now the one who "can't be bothered" to look for a job. You are "Lucky" that you haven't had to work till retirement age(so far) by the sound of it. Lots of people do.

[emmie]

i didn't give it up, for heavens sake, i was made redundant, then the o/h was taken seriously ill, then other things came into play which i have no intention of going into. He passed away eventually. I don't need anyone to feel sorry, i just want fairness, i said i will have to pay the extra, that as they say is all there is to it. Unlike Desktop who says she won't pay.

[bednobs]

but what i'm saying is, if losing your home is so bad it's like a bereavement to you, then you could look for work.

[joko]

But Sandy, they don't own those homes, they rent them, same as any other tenant ... just because the landlord is the council and not a person, and you have long-term tenancies, does not mean you own the property.

When the time for tenancy renewal comes up, all tenants could potentially be evicted should any landlord choose ... and you have no rights to refuse, as it is their house.

i think one problem here is over the years many people have stopped viewing themselves as tenants and now see themselves a homeowners, even though technically they aren't.


I agree in principle too - one person having a 4-5 bed house after their family has grown and left is not fair - but i agree it need serious tweaking and each case needs to be assessed individually - it cannot be a blanket ruling as there simply too many considerations and variations on peoples situations.

regarding the roots etc, no-one is saying they have to leave the area, just the house.

i do understand it will be a wrench for people and to feel sorry for people to have to go through this, but there is a logic and fairness to it - i know if id been waiting for house for years and my family was crammed in somewhere i'd want this to happen.

it seems that anyone it affects negatively is outraged by it, but anyone who may finally get a home, are for it - this is obviously natural, but because they are bound to be on the side of what benefits them, their words cannot be viewed without their strong emotions.
the rest can see it objectively, and present more logical and fair arguments.

apparently box rooms under a certain size do not count though, which is worth people checking.

[emmie]

all rooms count, you can't get away with that, if as said before its a small room, 6x6 and can fit in a single bed it's classed as a bedroom.

[boxtops]

desky did ask on a thread the other day if there was a minimum size room which didn't count, and the answer was no, if you could get a bed in it, it's a bedroom.

[emmie]

perhaps some need to read the whole thread, a bit of a long one, but it might give those who have just joined in an idea of what one is talking about.
Gromit looks like most do.

[emmie]

one of the things the council has already said, that if you can get a single bed in it, it's a bedroom.

[boxtops]

^ I just said that, em, LOL

[Sharingan]

I don't agree with it and the idea that if you can fit a bed in it it's a bedroom is just stupid. On that basis this already very small cottage would have an extra 3 bedrooms which are the pantry and the front and back porches. Could you seriosuly expect anyone to consider those as bedrooms?

[emmie]

boxy i know, i had mentioned that back in the thread, it's got rather long hasn't it.

[boxtops]

No sharinghan, the rooms have got to be designated in the house as bedrooms.

[tonyav]

I think that only counts if the rooms are upstairs Sharingan. unless it's a Bungalow I suppose.

[emmie]

they will and do have that criteria, if your property says three bedroom, one room is very small, considered a child's room, it counts, even if that room would literally only fit a small bed, them's the rules apparently, i had asked, as have lots of others i know who are in the same place.