Social landlord Riverside is continuing to
pressure MPs to give up the bedroom tax and cites new research by
the Housing Futures Network (HNF), a collection of leading housing
groups, to support its case.
The research, carried out
for Riverside in Wirral’s Tranmere and Rock Ferry
neighbourhood, found that one in four tenants would be affected
by housing benefit cuts, if they are of working age and
deemed to be under occupying their home by just one
bedroom. This is in accordance with very strict criteria to
be introduced by the Department of Work and Pensions.
The cuts would not only affect tenants, but
could have an impact on the local economy, which stands to lose
£65,000 per annum just from Riverside tenants. For all social
housing tenants affected in the area, the annual local economic
impact could be as much as £400,000 per year.
Despite the House of Lords voting against the
proposal to cut benefits for those of working age deemed to be
under-occupying their homes, the proposal returns to the House of
Commons this week.
For those facing the benefits cuts, the
research suggests:
·
around a third of tenants will seek to move, although the
restricted availability of one bed properties means very limited
opportunity
·
those seeking a private rented home would face a rent increase and
a similar increase in housing benefit
·
those who stay put will have to cope with reduced income levels –
nearly 30% of weekly disposable income for single job-seekers,
causing significant hardship for people already coping in a
low-income community
·
residents suggest harsh choices will be made between paying their
rent and basic necessities
·
increased rent arrears and bad debts will lead to higher levels of
eviction, with a combined cost to Riverside of £287,000, equivalent
to 39% of its annual budget for local repairs and maintenance.
·
residents value the flexibility of having a spare room, often used
to support normal family life, allowing teenage children to have
separate bedrooms, separated parents to have regular access to
their children, and couples with health issues to sleep apart.
Hugh Owen, Riverside’s director of policy and
communication, said: “This research paints a broader picture
of the effect of the bedroom tax and how it will impact on
communities. Tranmere and Rock Ferry is a deprived
neighbourhood, which has suffered due to the decline in ship
building and manufacturing industries. It has recently
undergone a successful programme of housing led regeneration, but
there are still not enough one bedroom houses to meet demand.
Under these proposals we would be unable to downsize retired
tenants to more suitable accommodation, as we would have to
concentrate on working age tenants who wish to move.
It would take us six years to downsize our own
tenants to our available one bedroom properties, without even
considering new applications for housing. In the mean time they
would face crippling cuts to their income.”
Similar research was carried out in
London, Sunderland
and Lancashire as part of the HFN campaign to urge the
government to change their plans to ensure that tenants with a
single spare bedroom do not face cuts to their benefit.
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