Bedroom Tax megathread

[charmer 10]

1) Then why should it matter that someone has to be hounded out of their home of however many years because they are expected to pay this extra?

 

If you can't afford something, you can't have it. I grew up very poor and learnt this lesson before I started primary school.

 

2) There aren't the smaller houses available for the "over-occupiers" to downsize into.

 

 

 

I'll say it again... you are wrong. People are being forced to pay the extra because there just aren't the smaller properties to downsize into.

 

I disagree, there are plenty of properties available. If not then there are hostels and half way houses.

 

It's not free money, folk have worked and paid national insurance and taxes to "invest" against a time where they may need to draw upon the state in time of need.

Oh, sorry I forgot, no pensioner or benefit claimant ever paid into the scheme which was meant to keep them financially safe when they had need, did they?

 

I have never claimed that. It is you who is making sweeping generalisations saying "folk have worked and paid national insurance ...". This insurance is to keep the wolves from the door, not to keep someone in a house that is too big for them.

 

It's nothing to do with resentment.

 

If the legislation had been better thought out, and fairer, MS Bottrell would probably not have been driven to such desperation. even the flaming housing authorities who had to administer this evil and septic tax did not understand the calculations, and this "post 1996" retrospective came to light too late for this desperate woman.

 

It's not just sad, it's beyond tragic, in this day and age, that someone should be in such a desperate state financially as to face losing the roof over their head.

 

I think it is tragic that this woman can have her rent paid for 17 years. She should have been sent to work long ago. The only reason that she is in such a state is because she chose to allow other people to finance her for so long. It is sad she is dead, but it is her fault.

 

Last week, on the choice based lettings site for Sheffield, there were 18 one-bedroomed properties. They were all flats, none were bungalows.

 

Of that 18, all but four were upper floor flats, and therefore not suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties.

 

Three of that four, were stepped, and, again, unsuitable for anyone with more than a mild impairment.

 

The one remaining property did have a ramped entrance, but was in an area where the terrain would be difficult for a wheelchair to negotiate (poor dropped kerbs, very steep etc)

 

How many thousands would be chasing these 18 properties, out of the 20,000 people on the waiting list? And how many would be left paying this unfair and punitive tax as unsuccessful bidders for those 18?

 

Let me tell you again. It is NOT a tax. Please look for the definition of the word "tax" and you will see. It is not unfair, in fact it is unfair that these people get my tax money and I get none. Please explain how giving someone money to live for free is fair to those in employment.

[kidneystone 23]

What a charmer you are, full of compassion.

[Penistone999 10]

Madders, this is the absolute proof that this is not in any way about distributing social housing more fairly, but about punishing the poor simply for the crime of being poor.

 

Are there not poor people who are in receipt of HB in the private rental sector . ? The "Poor" people in the private rental sector do NOT get their spare bedrooms paid for by the tax payer so why should people in social housing get theirs paid for . ? Are people who receive HB in social housing special ?

[Epic Fail 10]

What I don't find 'fair', is that a parent who has children but does not claim child benefit due to not being the 'main' carer, has to pay the bedroom tax even though the room is used by their child(ren).

 

At least that's how it works for me, unless I've got it wrong which is also a possibility.

[charmer 10]

What I don't find 'fair', is that a parent who has children but does not claim child benefit due to not being the 'main' carer, has to pay the bedroom tax even though the room is used by their child(ren).

 

At least that's how it works for me, unless I've got it wrong which is also a possibility.

 

Rage, you aren't paying a tax!! You are just paying a bigger portion of YOUR rent. When you pay for things (like rent, food etc) it is not a tax. You don't pay a cinema tax when you got to the cinema, you just pay for a ticket.

 

What I don't find "fair" is that you get money given to you to help pay for a house and I don't.

[Epic Fail 10]

Rage, you aren't paying a tax!! You are just paying a bigger portion of YOUR rent. When you pay for things (like rent, food etc) it is not a tax. You don't pay a cinema tax when you got to the cinema, you just pay for a ticket.

 

What I don't find "fair" is that you get money given to you to help pay for a house and I don't.

 

That's why I put fair in inverted commas. I know it's not a tax, that's just the name its known by.

 

But I'm sure you will get help with the rent if you get into a serious accident and left with a disability...

[Ms Macbeth 73]

What I don't find 'fair', is that a parent who has children but does not claim child benefit due to not being the 'main' carer, has to pay the bedroom tax even though the room is used by their child(ren).

 

At least that's how it works for me, unless I've got it wrong which is also a possibility.

 

Similarly parents who don't live together but who have mortgages or rent to pay can rarely afford two family sized homes.

[Mecky 10]

Are there not poor people who are in receipt of HB in the private rental sector . ? The "Poor" people in the private rental sector do NOT get their spare bedrooms paid for by the tax payer so why should people in social housing get theirs paid for . ? Are people who receive HB in social housing special ?

 

Ever heard of the term no DHSS?

[Dromedary 166]

The "Poor" people in the private rental sector do NOT get their spare bedrooms paid for by the tax payer so why should people in social housing get theirs paid for . ?

 

Up till 2013 they didn't as there was never such thing as a spare bedroom supplement. What happened was that a new set of laws was put in place that was designed to penalise anyone in social housing with spare bedrooms.

 

As the private rental sector rents are normally higher so that landlords benefit it seemed right that they received less.

 

The main thing to ask is; are these savings benefiting you, the taxpayer?

[Cyclone 10]

What I don't find 'fair', is that a parent who has children but does not claim child benefit due to not being the 'main' carer, has to pay the bedroom tax even though the room is used by their child(ren).

 

At least that's how it works for me, unless I've got it wrong which is also a possibility.

 

Not used by them full time though. Why should the state subsidise your children having bedrooms in two different houses?

[Epic Fail 10]

Not used by them full time though. Why should the state subsidise your children having bedrooms in two different houses?

 

I'm not saying they should. Just pointing out the difference.

 

Say a parent has a child 4 days a week and the other parent has the child 3 days a week, the parent that has that child 4 days a week will receive both child benefit and not have to pay the bedroom tax.

 

The other parent will not be entitled to child benefit, therefore also have to pay the bedroom tax.

 

You see where I'm coming from?

[Plain Talker 11]

Let me tell you again. It is NOT a tax. Please look for the definition of the word "tax" and you will see. It is not unfair, in fact it is unfair that these people get my tax money and I get none. Please explain how giving someone money to live for free is fair to those in employment.

 

it's.

 

a.

 

tax.

 

it's also a punishment on the poor.

 

---------- Post added 04-02-2014 at 21:21 ----------

 

Rage, you aren't paying a tax!! You are just paying a bigger portion of YOUR rent. When you pay for things (like rent, food etc) it is not a tax. You don't pay a cinema tax when you got to the cinema, you just pay for a ticket.

 

What I don't find "fair" is that you get money given to you to help pay for a house and I don't.

 

Teddy...

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has left the pram.