"bedroom Tax" - Why......

[ToraToraTora]

....has it picked up this annoying and innacurate name? It's not a tax is it?

[emmie]

because it is in all but name.

[woofgang]

because its snappy and suits the political needs of its opponents....like community charge and poll tax.

[jno]

no, it's a tax when the government takes away your money, not when it refuses to give you some. As to where the name came from, I don't know but the opposition or the press would be my prime susupects. (Probably the latter, Labour aren't noticeably smart in coming up with snappy labels.)

[jim360]

Blame the media. I don't know who started, possibly no-one did really, and it just kind of appeared in several places at once.

The semantic issue is important when discussing it. I imagine most people who will be affected won't notice the difference between a reduction in benefit and a tax, though.

[DJHawkes]

it's a tax almost like there was a window or hearth tax in that you had to pay for having extra windows or hearths, this is similar in that if you have unused bedrooms you will no longer get the same housing benefit, they will deduct (or tax) your benefit for each bedroom above your needs

[AliceTickband]

as far as I understand it, it is not a tax, rather a reduction in benefit if you claim for housing benefit and council tax benefit, and you have under-occupancy (in the government's opinion) of bedrooms. It does not seem to matter if a couple sleep separately because of various reasons eg medical necessity.

It takes no notice if you are already asking to be re-housed in a smaller house or flat, and one cannot be found.

It takes no notice if you have lived in the property for many years and have ooodles of memories connected with it.

It takes no notice that you cannot afford to buy your own home.

DC - #that will teach the poor to be poor#

I know it is not a quote from DC, but people of his ilk will definitely have thought it.

[ToraToraTora]

"it's a tax almost like there was a window or hearth tax in that you had to pay for having extra windows or hearths" - so it's not a tax then as those effectted do not pay extra for empty bedrooms. A tax by definition is what a government charges. It cannot be a tax if it is based on what a government gives.

[jim360]

Oh, there are certainly some problems with the new rules.

[emmie]

well said you ^

[emmie]

too many crossed posts, that was for Alice

[emmie]

who gives a flying feck what it's called, many are affected by it, most who can least afford it.

[Haggisdj]

I can understand the theory behind this but I do think that those affected should have been contacted and given at least twelve months notice to allow them to make a proper decision whether to stay where they are or to time to move to another property.

[Zeuhl]

It is a deduction based on bedrooms

Bedroom Tax is a useful, neat 3-syllable shorthand

Of course the Proponents of the deduction didn't call it a Tax

Its critics did because by definition any new 'tax' is a Bad Thing - unless it's aimed at another useful shorthand term; 'Fat Cats'

[emmie]

perhaps Blair who has just bought another property, that makes 8 now, can lend one or two to those sitting in B&B's, or would that not be appropriate for a former PM, should that be property magnate.

[DJHawkes]

those affected do pay a tax for empty bedrooms, if they want to stay where they are they have to pay more, all be it deducted at source from their benefit entitlement.

[emmie]

mine isn't deducted from source, and i don't think that is how it works, you just pay the extra out of whatever money you get coming in.

[ladybirder]

It's a reduction in subsidy, not a tax.

[emmie]

call it what you like, you have less to spend on essentials.

[DJHawkes]

if it's a reduction in subsidy then it's less paid out not more to pay in

[jim360]

"if it's a reduction in subsidy then it's less paid out not more to pay in"

But it is less paid out.