Bedroom Tax Petition

There is growing concern in Scotland over the introduction of the Bedroom Tax  in April 2013  cutting the amount of benefit that  tenants of working age can get if they are deemed to have a spare bedroom in their council or housing association home.  According to the  The Herald  people are expected to  find  the extra by working, working more  hours,  taking in a lodger or to find smaller homes.  However the DWP say there are not enough one bedroom homes and critics anticipate there will be a rise in people getting into debt eventually leading to evictions or renting in the private sector increasing benefit bills.  This UK Government welfare reform will effect people like this women who is disabled and regularly provides a home to her  mentally ill daughter. Also effected will be a number of  separated parents  who live on their own and have their children staying for  overnight contact. 

Solicitor Mike Dailly of the Govan Law  Centre has raised a petition   calling  on the Scottish Parliament to amend the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 "to prevent social landlords from using rent arrears caused by under occupation housing benefit deductions in eviction actions, and instead requiring such under occupation arrears to be pursued as an ordinary debt." The petition is available here should anyone wish to sign.