Imagine that you have a disabled husband. You are living in a 2 bedroom flat, which has been adapted to take account of his disability. You are his unpaid carer. But your circumstances are of no relevance to the government. You have a ‘spare’ bedroom, so you are ‘under-occupying‘. In fact, so far as the government is concerned it does not even matter if you have to sleep in the ‘spare’ bedroom because of you husband’s disability. You are still ‘under-occupying’ so you will get stung for 14% of your rent, whether you can afford it or not.
One particular carer makes the point that
“I am actually saving the government money by being his carer and not insisting that we use an external carer. If we did then the government would have to pay for the external carer.”
The only exception to the bedroom tax for disabled people is in the case where an external carer stays overnight.
“I was told that if I had an external carer I would be exempt from the bedroom tax, but the local housing said if I changed to an external carer now I would be classed as a cheat of the system. But I ask you, where is the sense in spending more money to save when we can stay the same and save more.”
In this and many other cases these homes have had thousands of pounds spent on them in adaptations. If they downsize then it will cost money to install adaptations in the new home. What is the sense in that?
“I have been told to downsize or pay the bedroom tax – insisting that I move from the property I have lived in for 25 years. As it stands we are on benefit which the government says is the bare minimum amount you need to live on. So when you take into account the bedroom tax I will receive less than the government says IS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT TO LIVE ON…”
No wonder it is now common for the poor to have to chose between eating and keeping warm.
Swindon Tenants Campaign Group 
Would it not be possible for the wife to say her husbands disability and needs are such that she needs to sleep in a separate room for her own health as his carer?
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NO government make no concessions
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If only! This lot have NO compassion at all!
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What a disgraceful Tax on the poor this is! What do they think they will gain from it? Certainly not what they’re pretending to – to free up larger homes for families! They know there aren’t the one bed properties to downsize to, so why don’t they be honest, and come right out and say ‘ We hate social housing tenants, who can’t afford to buy their homes, – so we’re making the already poorest among us choose between eating, heating their homes, or paying this bedroom tax’? I hope they are ready for all the tenants who cannot pay – and cannot move – due to lack of small homes, and lack of money for removal costs – so, will fall into massive rent arrears! I hope the courts are ready too, for the mass evictions!
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I totally agree with all you say. There are no 1 bed property’s in my area, not that I’m moving anyway. Who would pay for all my new carpets, curtains etc. surely this can’t go ahead it’s totally unfair on us all.
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well said pammy ,…….
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Yet another ill thought out plan by this idiotic gov’t. It seems as if they have an idea and implement it regardless. or just don’t care!!
They should at least offer people the chance of a move to a smaller house, but then why should people have to leave homes they have probably lived in for years, and where are all the one and two bedroom properties to come from?….
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well said !!
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Exactly. Why should we be forced from our homes and areas where we have lived for years….selfish rich headed government!
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Alot of people have been offered their homes by their local council. If someone is in a 2 bedroomed home and they only need one bedroomed, the council have placed them in there because quite frankly there are not enough one bedroomed properties available! Same with anyone in a 3 bedroomed home but could easily fit in a 2 bedroomed home-the properties are just not there!
It isn’t just people on benefits who will be affected but also the people who work but are on minimum wage and therefore qualify with help towards their rent. This is taxing the poorest in society and is an absolute outrage in the 21st century. Soon they will bring back the window tax and then tax everyone for having too much light into their homes! Get a grip politicians-this cannot work. it will force people into more poverty and many actually into the homeless category. This is the 21st century and our vulnerable need to be taken care of and not targeted!!
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Exactly! Also, us long-standing council tenants were never told we would have to get out when our children had grown up and left home – if they had, we probably wouldn’t have spent a fortune on them over the past 30 years, making them our home, We have ‘Life-time’ tenancies…..there is nothing in the small print even hinting that this will happen!
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our council have amended the tenancy rules – our daughter and her baby has been awarded a two bed house, but can only be her ‘home’ up until her daughter reaches 21 years old. Then she would need to re-apply for housing?
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It depends on the detail of the tenancy rules Shaun. Which local authority is it? She might have to ‘downsize’ rather than re-apply. It depends on whether they have introduced ‘fixed term tenancies’, where your ‘need’ is assessed at the end of the tenancy.
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the government should hang there heads in shame. its a disgrace what they are doing and getting away with it WHY.
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They HAVE no shame!
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I spoke to my council about this. They said that whilst they didn’t have the finer details they we given to understand that separate provision is being made for those in adapted houses Also you can have another bedroom for overnight carer who doesn’t normally live with you. Obviously with a married couple it’s not so easy. If you are pver 61 you are exempt anyway
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That’s only if the carer is employed as a ‘paid’ carer
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Just like my situation. I cant sleep in the same room as disabled wife and she even has a special hospital bed for ongoing pressure sore problem. I’m determined to fight this charge. You cant put 2 single beds in one room——-no room fo wheelchair
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Keep fighting it David!
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I have just been reading South Tyneside’s guidelines on the changes from my understanding it appears that if the disabled tenant requires overnight care (is in receipt of DLA or AA High Care Component and a carer ie. Spouse is in receipt of Carers Allowance) then the 14% bedroom tax is not applied. I may be wrong but I think it may be worth challenging the decision if this is the case. CAB are very good at dealing with benefit problems.
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The only exception Jeannie is overnight ‘outside’ care. It’s a racing certainty that there will be challenges on the grounds of discrimination.
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No, this isn’t the case….must be a paid carer.
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I am completely outraged by this Government who are as usual picking on the most vulnerable of society. I am registered disabled with an absolute multitude of medical conditions including degenerative slipped disc, M.E. plus many more to add to which since August I now have a stroke and Diabetes. I was even working before August even with all my conditions. I am now unable to do anything, my husband who is my carer has to do everything for me. I was on a council waiting list and although I had a GP letter and an OT letter, the council said for over a year they could only give me a one bed. Now because it suited them, we have just moved to a 2 bed. I need constant and overnight care yet the council nominated me for a Housing Association place which we have just moved to. The only good thing is the fact its in a lovely area but that’s no good to me now as there is no wheelchair access which I am in desperate need of. The housing officer knew this when we spoke a couple of months ago after I just had the stroke and could hardly speak. I said I felt I needed shelter housing. She said it would mean if anything happened to me, my husband would then have to leave. I explained my husband was happy with this as my care/support was the most important. She left it by saying *we will see what happens* 2 days later I get a call from another housing officer telling us we have been nominated for the place we are in now. I started to explain I was bed bound due to stroke etc. She wasn’t interested and basically said it was either this or nothing. When I spoke to the other housing officer who I had spoken to previously and mentioned we had spoken about sheltered housing, she denied saying it. I am outraged as she was aware of all my medical conditions. I am on high care and high mobility. I need a room for myself (which was backed up by the GPs letter and the OTs letter. Now we are stuck in a place that doesn’t suit my needs (property is for general needs) plus the fact we have to pay the bedroom tax and also council tax for the 2nd bedroom. I have only been here a week and before I moved here (property was empty for 6 weeks) the housing association didn’t check the lighting (electrics) so there is no light in one bedroom and the heating system broke down. I have to wait until tomorrow afternoon before someone comes out with the spare part which is needed to fix the heating/water. This is clearly all adding to the deterioration of my health. I am now waiting for an OT to come out for the new property. I doubt if there is anything I can do re bedroom tax because my husband is my carer and receives carers all and im on CB ESA. This government is disgusting and clearly does not care that so many disabled people like myself are struggling desperately. There are far too many red herrings in this, too many *rules* that are not clear. I don’t understand why we are all *just putting up with being dictated to* Im just wondering what the next thing will be that they bring out. I am saving them a lot of money by having my husband as my carer yet if I had an outside carer I would be exempt. This is total madness.
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This Bedroom Tax is an outrageous callous demand made on the people who can least afford it……. This ill thought out tax is overwhelming people who already have enough to worry about and is exacerbating peoples illnesses. Where are disabled people and low income families meant to find the money from? Sad to say there is no money tree growing in my garden……..If cuts have to be made,stop taking from the already poor and vulnerable and start at the top of the ladder.
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Yes, start with the millions lost in the super rich avoiding paying tax!
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I have lived in my home for 28yrs. Bought up my family here, my husband died here and I have spent all those years making it my home. I’m on £71 ESA benefit and I will have to pay £30 out of that towards my rent. How will I do it? And I’m not moving out of my home….I’d rather starve! The government stink, they have no heart.
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After caring for a sick husband for 20 years until his death, UNPAID, I might add, I moved from my 3 bedroom house(maintained to a high standard at our own expense, over a period of 30yrs) to a 2 bedroom flat, at my own expense, although I would have been entitled to financial help. I developed arthritis asthma and high bp and am unfit to work. I am now expected to move to a smaller property (NOT CHEAPER, just smaller) that DOESN’T EVEN EXIST, or pay this bedroom tax. Lets do the maths here then shall we? Firstly there would be the removal expenses that would need to be paid. That’s ok the government can pay them. Then someone has to plumb back in my cooker and washing machine. Will the government pay for that? Then there’s the cost of flooring and curtains. Will the government pay for that? Then as I will be downsizing I will be able to ask the council for the cash incentive to do so. By the time I’ve finished the government wont have any money left. DO THE MATHS, YOU MORONS!!!!!!
As it happens I have NO INTENTION of going anywhere, I downsized once, I am not doing it again!
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/antibedroomtax/
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Well said Marian….they are mean, selfish and don’t care. They will have to drag me out my home.
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Your circumstances sound very similar to mine, Julie having checked into the homeswaps available in my area, there aren’t any 1 bedroom properties advertised. I won’t contact the council though as i am sure they will find one to offer me in a high rise block, and I would rather jump out of the window than live in one of those, having lived in one before. The council refer to these properties as undesirable and they are. No I guess its a case of wearing a dressing gown over clothing all year round to keep warm instead of having any heating on, or maybe letting someone deaf (as my permanent asthma cough can grind on ones nerves) and hopefully not with any weird tendancies, or criminal intent, move into my minute spare bedroom. LOL! Ah we must laugh at the stupidness of it all. Or we’ll go mad!!
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I am a carer too and look after my partner and have done for the last 20years since she got ill she is has very bad mental health problems
im 43 and she is 57
we originaly were moved to our current two bed councile home due to her ilness on medical grounds as our tine one bedroom coffin they gave us was causeing a server deteriation in her and she was suisidal and trying to throw her self out of flat window.
for the last 15 years we are unable to sleep in same room due to her mental health and delustions
so the bedroom tax will make me basicly homeless with no where to sleep
i have server back pain from a spinale deformity so will be cripled sleeping on floor or sofa
id we move in a smaller place kathy my partner will proberly end up dead or suisidel
and i will lose the last tiny bit of her that left from before illness
we will lose all our stuff we have saved for and gone with out for to make life a bit easyer.
ill have nothing left too lose and will burn this building down to the ground and declare war on goverment and councile and buildings untill in court and jailed or dead
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Firstly it is unlawful for any policy not to allow exceptions. The law is quite clear that where the alleged “spare bedroom” is needed for someone who provides care for a disabled or infirm person) there is simply is not a spare bedroom to begin with!.
Contrary to what other posts say, that carer does not have to be from an outside agency!
That Carer can be ANYONE, including but not exclusively a wife, ,husband, partner neighbour, friend or even a child under the age of 16.
Roy Crompton
Disability Advisor
07545 640852
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OK Roy, so show us in the legislation or the guidance where it says that. And while you are at it, what about where somebody who has a medical problem has to sleep in a separate bedroom?
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To Roy Crompton,disability Advisor,you are wrong,my husband sits up with me
until 2-4pm,all night,at times,i am on the highest DLA,night and day,i am shaking badly doing this,we had full housing benefit,made to fill in a 34 page
form,suggested to move,get a lodger.My husband has to go to the job centre
for an appointment,we have been given another form for DHP,no promises it
seems,funds very limited.Severe pain and other serious problems keep me
awake,fits,etc,etc.Our home has been altered for disability plus a stair lift.Our sin,a small single bedroom,which we use,on this second form we have to give all the details the council has already,ten different ways,plus every single
personal detail of our outgoings,even what we spend on household products
our council is Teignbridge District Council,every-one is very nice to us,but it
does not change a thing,just want this to stop,feel so vunerable and very,very
ill and weak,and definately cornered,it is 4pm in the morning. maddie.
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hello everyone,i know its only a day,its 4:50pm in the morning,my husband went
to bed 45 mins ago exhausted,loads of you are going through the same problems+worried sick about this bedroom tax.Its crazy,u can have bathroom
altered completely,but have to have to have an extra bathroom or kitchen just
for the disabled,so tax on one bedroom,but extra rooms for me+no tax.What
would a solicitor or barrister make of it,after all just because the goverment
pass as law,and the councils enforce it,what does it mean,nothing.History
teaches us that people have had to fight terrible discrimination,inequality,i
still cannot believe this,pain makes my brain wide awake,+the more i think
the more crazy this law is.This is the sort of law,that when taken through the
court system in the UK,ends up in the human rights court,after all we have gone
backwards 70 years or more,i have to stop now,thinking of u all. maddie.
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This Goverment is taking every penny from the poor and helping the rich.They abolished the mansion tax for the rich but will not abolish the extra bedroom tax.The rich are getting richer the poor are getting poorer.We the poor need to march and all stand together to get rid of theTories who do not give a fuck for the poor and do not care if the poor lose there homes.
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i HAVE ARTHRITIS IN BOTH KNEES AND HAVE TO SLEEP SEPARATE FROM MY HUSBAND DUE TO BEING IN PAIN . this EXTRA BEDROOM TAX IS GOING TO AFFECT ME AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY IT.tHE LABOUR PARTY HELPED THE POOR THE TORIES ARE ONLY FOR THE RICH WE NEED TO PROTEST AND GET THE TORIES OUT WHAT DO YOU SAY PEOPLE
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Hi Maria my wife is disabled and I am her carer we live in a2bedroomed ground floor flat fully adapted, but we have to pay the extra bedroom tax I asked the councill for a 1 bedroom bungalow but was told there is,nt any available if only everyone would stand outside the government offices and protested would it do any good I am willing to give it a go, but are the rest.?… take care chin up and all that, roll on the next generally elections,
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as far as i know, the bedroom tax did not say that if you are receiving carer allowance, under carer, a disable person can have has many carer as you want. but only one can claim the carer allowance as the law did not say that it must be the one claiming the carer.
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to the high court decided the bedroom tax was lawful
I am at the end of my tether I now owe rent and I am sure thet will take my house any day now.
I have never been offered discretionary payments did not even know they there was such a thing
I am disabled my husband takes care of me but we have not slept together for many years because of my poor sleep pattern and joint pain etc.
I don’t know where I will live when they take my home to be honest I an past caring I do not want to lose the home I have lived in for the past 18 years but I can see no light at the end of a very long dark tunnel
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My daughter has five children one disabled and she lives in a two bedroomed house oldest child is twelve council . Huosing ass can’t help her to another property.is she entiltled to her own bedroom as a carer. Does anyone know the answer. Thanks
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What are the ages and the sex of the children Michael?
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Oldest is 12 . Disabled grandson 11. Both boys and boy of 3. And two girls of 5. And 7. Oldest boys share bedroom with his disabled brother which of course causes severe problems. Thanks
Sent from my iPad
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This household is statutorily over-crowded. She should have a three bed at least, possibly 4 depending on the disability.
When you say the housing assistant can’t help her are they saying that there isn’t another property available?
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Yes they the council and her housing ass say they have no availble properties, they did offer her a property but that particular road as awful crime rate and burglaries and as she is on her own was advised not to take it. The other problem my daughter has is harrassment and discrimination as my children are of mixed race and being called all kind of things. Some time back my daughter was savagely attacked and something else also happened of which I can’t say but I’m sure you can guess, all normal things done like police involvement but does not stop incidents as two weeks ago she another brick thrown through children’s bedroom window and on it goes. My daughter lives in northants and I live in Bognor Regis and I have my own health problems to fight. We have applied all over the place as she really needs to leave the area and move back to lincolnshire. Solicitors say they can’t help as no legal aid for housing problems apparently re housing no matter who we see or ask we get the same answers. Ie nothing available. We are working class and though her mp is involved (Tory) he does not seem to be to intrested though he does write the odd letter , but I have to contact him to find out whats happening as he very really replies to my daughter even when messages are left 8. Months and nothing done by him —–all. Whats happened to my daughter is obviously makeing her ill also. Thanks for your reply
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Me and my partner are in a similar position but are both disabled and care for each other but we’re told the same we took it to appeal but lost the appeal it needs people like us to stand up to the government other wise this will keep happening over and over again. As the government dont own the country the people do. We just don’t know what to do now. If any body knows what we can do next I would be very happy to get some help.
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