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In Order To Pay Bedroom Tax, Disabled People Are ?Forced To Cut Back On Eating And Heating?

In Order To Pay Bedroom Tax, Disabled People Are ?Forced To Cut Back On Eating And Heating?

In Order To Pay Bedroom Tax, Disabled People Are ?Forced To Cut Back On Eating And Heating?

90% of disabled people along with 75% of carers are affected by the bedroom tax meaning that in order to pay their rent they have to cut back on food and heating. The DBC (Disability Benefits Consortium), a national coalition of over 50 charities has revealing findings in a letter to Ian Duncan Smith, Work and Pensions Secretary which called on the government to take immediate action to exempt disabled people along with their families and carers from the controversial policy.

The letter, signed by chief executives of charities such as Disability Rights UK, Child Poverty Action Group, the Royal National Institute of Blind Peoples and Scope, points to ‘stark evidence’ which shows disabled people aren’t being protected from the controversial policy despite government claims to the contrary.

It states: "Before the policy was implemented, we warned that it would hit disabled people and carers for whom additional accommodation was essential, not spare." We have been angered at reports which state that disabled people and their families are protected from this policy. The stark evidence since the policy was implemented in April shows they are clearly not.

"Our organisations are hearing time and time again from disabled people, carers and families of disabled children who are being forced into debt and in risk of eviction as they are falling behind on their rent." The charities also claim that the DWP's safety net of discretionary payments is not working.

"Our research shows that only a small minority of disabled people and carers are currently receiving support from the fund the government set aside to cover the shortfall in rent for disabled people. Those who are unable to access discretionary support are being hit with an average bill of £700 a year," the letter states.

It is affecting disabled people who need an extra room for essential home adaptations or equipment which is required to allow them to live independently. It is up to the government to act now to exempt disabled people and carers from this policy, with the latest statistics showing over half a million social housing tenants being affected by the bedroom tax.

This is hitting disabled people particularly hard as:

  • 66% of housing benefit claimants affected by the tax are disabled;
  • 100,000 live in specially adapted properties; with
  • over 220,000 claiming DLA (Disability Living Allowance)
  • 77% of DLA claimants live in the social sector.