The coalition government is introducing a ‘size criteria’ for Housing Benefit claimants who live in Council or Housing Association homes. Working age tenants will be penalise for having ‘too many’ bedrooms, by losing 14% of their HB (estimated at an average of £12) if they have one bedroom ‘too many’, or 25% (£22) if they have two or more ‘too many’.
This scandalous measure will not come into action until April of 2013. This gives us some time to campaign for it to be dropped. Swindon Tenants Campaign Group has produced a Briefing explaining the changes and calling on tenants and others to press the Council and our local MPs to call on the government to abandon these changes. Download the briefing here: housingnews
Swindon Tenants Campaign Group 
i have just been told if you have lived in your home for more than 17 years you do not have to pay room tax is this correct ?
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If you have been a tenant in receipt of housing benefit from 1 st January 1996, or earlier. yes.
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Thank you very much for your prompt answer.
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Does anyone know how i can get my bedroom tax refund paid into my bank account and not into rent account?Its our money so why only pay it into my rent account?
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please can you tell me where i can find the goverment page that says you have to live in your properly for 17 years . thankyou .
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You can only claim discount if you have been on housing benifits since 1996 with no breaks unless u have been in prison you could get on too official – DWP announce pre-1996 position is true and thousands have had bedroom tax imposed in error ! SPeye Or Keeping an eye on SP and supported housing or (thereclaimgroup@aol.com). Good luck do hope you will be entitled to it . Kind regards
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Hi I am in a 2 bed council house with my husband and 3 kids my son is 12 my oldest daughter is 11 and I also have a 4 year old daughter that all share one room and also have 1 more on the way but I do not agree with bedroom tax I need a 3 bed house and having a small crowded home does upset me but I have a roof over my head and that’s what matter the most to me and my family I feel that bedroom tax has made so many people homeless and very stressed and if they had the cash to solve there problems they would its just targeting the poor and vulnerable and very unfair people who suffer depression it could take someone’s life I know someone that actually felt this way that nearly took there life it not right I believe it against human rights people need a roof over there heads how can someone make anyone homeless for no fault of there own they should not play god
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Hi have a spare room but I pay £60. Every month in bedroom tax I’ve just asked for a disability shower fitting I was told buy the health visiter I would get it but the council had a meeting and said no as I was under ocupaying but I thought that was the reason I was paying the bedroom tax now I have to travel every other day to my parents house for a shower could anybody help 07900007272
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Have you spoken to your local Councillor David? Where are you based?
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