Rename Bedroom Tax

[SarahBell]

Please can we get our collective heads together and think of a better phrase to replace 'bedroom tax'.

--------------------------------

Oldham first choice

1 bed rents - 64.04, 67.25, 64.03, 80

2 bedroom 97.2, 98.08, 92, 81.85, 98.08

3 bedroom 99.8, 102.4, 102.2

So couple in 3 bedroom place that should only have 1 bedroom

From April 2013, if you live in council accommodation or other social housing and are assessed as having at least 1 extra bedroom in your house, your Housing Benefit could be reduced by:

14% if you have 1 extra bedroom

25% if you have 2 or more extra bedrooms

They'll only get about £75 in rent towards their HB and have to find the other £25 from their own money

But they'd still be getting more on average than the cost of a 1 bedroom property.

And if they can manage their money to pay for the extra bedrooms then they aren't forced to move - but some councils are offering that as an option.

And these exemptions:

https://www.gov.uk/housing-benefit/what-youll-get

Exception

If you’ve been getting Housing Benefit since before 7 April 2008, these limits only apply if you:

change address

have a break in your claim for Housing Benefit

mean some people won't be affected ...

[righttoleech]

It is a handout reduction rather than a tax.

[Access Denied]

It's an under occupation charge but that's a bit of a mouthful so perhaps a bedroom offset?

[durhamborn]

Is it only the amount of HB paid cut by 14% etc,or 14% of the rent.?

If it is the amount of housing benefit for instance someone who got half paid would lose £12.50,but if based on the rent itself £25.

So if they were paying £25 now towards the rent will they lose all that or only 14% of it,,anyone know?

[RichB]

I think you'll find that the more expensive properties still only have 1 bedroom, but 3 reception rooms...

[Dorkins]

From April 2013, if you live in council accommodation or other social housing and are assessed as having at least 1 extra bedroom in your house, your Housing Benefit could be reduced by:

14% if you have 1 extra bedroom

25% if you have 2 or more extra bedrooms

Why does the government always have to make things so complicated? Why not just reassess their needs and pay them the same rate that a new claimant would get?

[Democorruptcy]

Please can we get our collective heads together and think of a better phrase to replace 'bedroom tax'.

Breeding Reward?

Have kids to fill spare rooms and you get more money.

[RufflesTheGuineaPig]

So they'll have to use some of the £300 a month they get from their lodger towards paying their rent. Diddums.

[SarahBell]

Is it only the amount of HB paid cut by 14% etc,or 14% of the rent.?

If it is the amount of housing benefit for instance someone who got half paid would lose £12.50,but if based on the rent itself £25.

So if they were paying £25 now towards the rent will they lose all that or only 14% of it,,anyone know?

Don't know. Sep thread for that point might attract someone who knows though.

[plummet expert]

Why does the government always have to make things so complicated? Why not just reassess their needs and pay them the same rate that a new claimant would get?

Why not require people to swap with tenants who need an extra bedroom? Give them reasonable notice - like 12 months - Pay for a bit of decorating if they are older folk. It hardly seems fair that someone in a 2 or 3 bedder who now lives alone or even with spouse, but no kids, can carry on ocupying a home indefinitely when a young couple with baby have to stay in a one bed place as there are no homes available. A council home/social housing, should not be for life and be open to review every 7 years or so. People who can afford to move into private rentals or buy should then do so on a one year notice.

[SHERWICK]

It is a handout reduction rather than a tax.

Like the granny 'tax'.

[dendrite]

HMM why didnt the mansion tax come about ?????? . Lets look at this for one moment , The Torys are using the oldest trick in the book " DIVIDE AND CONQUER " . The welfare state was set up for us all , and we are falling for the story that folk on Benefits are the well off . They arnt trust me i was unemployed and it was a nightmare , but if we beleive the torys there will be no safe guards for us when we lose our jobs .

THE BEDROOM TAX , it would be laughable if it wasnt so serious , Look at this way people , You have brought your family up in this house with good memorys , your kids have left home , there is no houses to down size to , and the torys are now punishing you for this .

Wouldnt it be great if they could be as vicious with the power companys and the bankers , the real benefit cheats along with the many MP`s that never went to jail . Spin doctors are great in politics , As they keep us in the dark and feed us shite , the problem is we are all eating it and turning on each other , rather than focusing our anger on them .

TO ANY LIB/DEM READING THIS GET OUT NOW BEFORE YOUR FINISHED IN POLITICS

[sigma]

THE BEDROOM TAX , it would be laughable if it wasnt so serious , Look at this way people , You have brought your family up in this house with good memorys , your kids have left home , there is no houses to down size to , and the torys are now punishing you for this .

As things go that really doesn't sound that serious.

[Executive Sadman]

Like the granny 'tax'.

AKA eliminating age discrimination in the tax code.

Am I an evil person? The good things the coalition have done the media say are evil. The Pasty tax seems to be getting rid of a nonsensical non-inclusion, the granny tax seems to be introducing fairness into the tax code, HB reductions are a reduction to landlords, yet the media tells me these are terrible things.

[Executive Sadman]

HMM why didnt the mansion tax come about ?????? . Lets look at this for one moment , The Torys are using the oldest trick in the book " DIVIDE AND CONQUER " . The welfare state was set up for us all , and we are falling for the story that folk on Benefits are the well off . They arnt trust me i was unemployed and it was a nightmare , but if we beleive the torys there will be no safe guards for us when we lose our jobs .

THE BEDROOM TAX , it would be laughable if it wasnt so serious , Look at this way people , You have brought your family up in this house with good memorys , your kids have left home , there is no houses to down size to , and the torys are now punishing you for this .

Wouldnt it be great if they could be as vicious with the power companys and the bankers , the real benefit cheats along with the many MP`s that never went to jail . Spin doctors are great in politics , As they keep us in the dark and feed us shite , the problem is we are all eating it and turning on each other , rather than focusing our anger on them .

TO ANY LIB/DEM READING THIS GET OUT NOW BEFORE YOUR FINISHED IN POLITICS

Keep your shirt on, your not going to be tossed out of the old one until a home with less rooms is found.

[Executive Sadman]

As things go that really doesn't sound that serious.

Terrible isnt it. The 'punishment' is still better than what a lot of new claimants will get.

We really have bred an 'entitled' class...

[(Blizzard)]

It is a handout reduction rather than a tax.

No, the rent is the tax. Housing benefit is, from the point of view of the recipient, a tax rebate.

Therefore a reduction in housing benefit is a reduction in the rebate, or an increase in tax.

People who's housing is paid for by the government are not benefiting from government help, they just aren't suffering from government harm like the rest of us.

Whilst it is totally unfair that working people are not protected from the tax demands of private landlords, it is their 'right' to collect that rent that is the handout, and not the housing benefit. It is the landlord, whether their tenants are on benefits or not, who is receiving government handouts.

(For housing benefit feel free to substitute council housing, it's basically the same thing)

Edited December 29, 2012 by (Blizzard)

[Self Employed Youth]

So called social housing (council and housing association property) now has TARGET RENTS. Target rents are based upon a combination 2001 property values and rents relative to your geographical location. The target rent (X) is calculated for a 2 bed property and then a 'bedroom factor' is applied.

0 bed - 0.8X

1 bed - 0.9X

2 bed - 1.0X

3 bed - 1.1X

4 bed - 1.2X

Under the bedroom tax, HB will be cut if you have 'extra bedrooms'. The amount of bedrooms you require depends upon your age, household size and health. Single and under 35 you require none. (However some fortunate ones will be allowed to have 1 bedroom, those in the social sector).

1 extra bedroom = HB cut by 14%

2 extra bedroom = HB cut by 25%

0-1 bed difference;

0.8/0.9 = 11% difference

1-2 bed;

0.9/1.0 = 10% difference

2-3 bed;

1.0/1.1 = 9% difference

3-4 bed;

1.1/1.2 = 8% difference

0-2 bed difference;

0.8/1.0 = 20% difference

1-3 bed;

0.9/1.1 = 18% difference

2-4 bed;

1.0/1.2 = 17% difference

The difference in target rents are less than the cut in HB one will get for having 'extra bedrooms'. The cost of renting a property with 1 less bedroom might only be 8% less, but you will get a 14% HB cut for having an extra bedroom.

The cost of renting a property with 2 less bedrooms might only be 17% less, but you will get 25% HB cut for having two extra bedrooms.

So if you cop for the bedroom tax, you will be inclined to move into a smaller property to get higher amounts of HB.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Self Employed Youth

[SarahBell]

So called social housing (council and housing association property) now has TARGET RENTS. Target rents are based upon a combination 2001 property values and rents relative to your geographical location. The target rent (X) is calculated for a 2 bed property and then a 'bedroom factor' is applied.

0 bed - 0.8X

1 bed - 0.9X

2 bed - 1.0X

3 bed - 1.1X

4 bed - 1.2X

Under the bedroom tax, HB will be cut if you have 'extra bedrooms'. The amount of bedrooms you require depends upon your age, household size and health. Single and under 35 you require none. (However some fortunate ones will be allowed to have 1 bedroom, those in the social sector).

1 extra bedroom = HB cut by 14%

2 extra bedroom = HB cut by 25%

0-1 bed difference;

0.8/0.9 = 11% difference

1-2 bed;

0.9/1.0 = 10% difference

2-3 bed;

1.0/1.1 = 9% difference

3-4 bed;

1.1/1.2 = 8% difference

0-2 bed difference;

0.8/1.0 = 20% difference

1-3 bed;

0.9/1.1 = 18% difference

2-4 bed;

1.0/1.2 = 17% difference

The difference in target rents are less than the cut in HB one will get for having 'extra bedrooms'. The cost of renting a property with 1 less bedroom might only be 8% less, but you will get a 14% HB cut for having an extra bedroom.

The cost of renting a property with 2 less bedrooms might only be 17% less, but you will get 25% HB cut for having two extra bedrooms.

So if you cop for the bedroom tax, you will be inclined to move into a smaller property to get higher amounts of HB.

So £20 top up HB ..

Cut by 25% .. Or is the 25% cut of the total cos they are entitled to less overall?

[Snugglybear]

I think you'll find that the more expensive properties still only have 1 bedroom, but 3 reception rooms...

You're only allowed one living room. So if you have a lounge and separate dining room, one will be considered a potential bedroom and included in the bedroom count. If the living room is two rooms knocked together, if it's physically possible to have a substantial divider between the two halves, one will be considered a potential bedroom.

[Democorruptcy]

Please can we get our collective heads together and think of a better phrase to replace 'bedroom tax'.

Breeding Reward?

Have kids to fill spare rooms and you get more money.

I saw a piece on Sky news yesterday and it said 700,000 babies had been born in the UK this year. The most since the 1940's.

Instead of "Breeding Reward" can I have "Baby Bonus"?

Unintended consequences and all that....