Bedroom tax to be extended to pensioners.

[tzijlstra]

Dont lifts exist?

 

Where do all the elderly live in cities such as London, New York, Tokyo, Singapore.

 

By their very nature MOST flats are a single storey dwelling. Just because you have to take a lift up to the floor is no more difficult for an elderly person than having to cross a street to get to their dwelling.

 

I don't disagree, but have a quick look at the average population in St. Pauls and tell me if it actually is suitable or not. Most elderly want to live out of town, quieter, less hassle, whatever the reason.

 

If you'd put my elderly grandfather in there he'd never sleep, let alone that there would be absolutely no way at all for him to fit all his worldly possessions in one.

[apelike]

 

youngsters can't get onto the ladder, older people aren't releasing properties and there is an ever increasing rise in single occupancy but equally a shortage in provision (suitable provision!) for that group.

 

First, there is no such thing as a housing ladder only long term mortgage debt. Second, greed is what drives the housing market so housing is only built for maximum profit and not necessarily built to provide suitable provision or need.

 

Yet you can't ask elderly to live in St. Pauls lofts... Highly unsuitable for them.

 

You can but I doubt many elderly would pay £180,000+ for a 2 bed flat and then also have to pay the extra service charges on top.

 

The main post is about the bedroom tax hitting the elderly but that would only apply if the property was council or housing association owned, and only for new tenants after April this year. Current pensioners will not be affected and it would not affect those currently in council housing or owner occupiers.

 

Thats why this is a bit of a non-story.

[LeMaquis]

As Ron says. You can't tax something that's not earned.

 

Correct .....

 

Inheritance Tax. Wealth Tax. VAT.

[apelike]

Whether or not you agree with it, its not. Its just a word used by the hard of learning to try and encourage an emotive response without looking into the actual facts.

 

Its just a media conned word that is used just like the poll tax was when it was never a poll tax.

[ECCOnoob]

I don't disagree, but have a quick look at the average population in St. Pauls and tell me if it actually is suitable or not. Most elderly want to live out of town, quieter, less hassle, whatever the reason.

 

If you'd put my elderly grandfather in there he'd never sleep, let alone that there would be absolutely no way at all for him to fit all his worldly possessions in one.

 

I dont quite frankly care where they WANT to live. When someone else is picking up the tab its not THEIR choice and they are not in a position to demand anything.

 

Using your elderly grandfather as an example, are you saying that if he relied on council housing with taxpayers subsidising his rent, and in the highly unlikely event that a city centre, ground level, single storey, single occupancy dwelling came free - he would be entitled to refuse and stay in a muti-bedroomed underoccupied home just because the new place was a bit noisier and not big enough for all his possessions - hardly sounds fair!

 

In any event, as Apelike points out, such a scenario does not apply and the so called bedroom tax is only going to affect a limited number of people beyond a certain future point.

[the_bloke]

Why wasnt it just a case of people getting housing benefit for a 3 bedroomed house, only if they qualify on the grounds of the number of people living at that house?

 

I haven't a scooby. It's how it should have been applied at the same time as it was applied to private rented housing. Labour introduced the LHA though, so were probably terrified to apply it to the social housing sector.

[crookedspire]

Poor's sods next free travel and heating allowance.

[apelike]

Poor's sods next free travel and heating allowance.

 

To be honest I would rather my free bus pass was not free and that a standard capped charge of .50p applied which should also apply to the disabled as well. That way it could subsidise child travel which could also be reduced and capped at .50p. But.. the trouble is history shows us that once charges are introduced they will inevitably rise at some point.

[syne]

As Ron says. You can't tax something that's not earned. What it is is a reduction in benefit.

 

You shouldn't be, but you are.

And that depends on what your defining 'earned' as.

 

You pay tax on jsa and paye is a misnomer as you don't earn your wages, you earn interest on savings.

[swede1973]

Sounds fair to be, only if there is enough smaller properties for them to move into. My mate is desperate for a smaller property. He has the spare bedroom thing to pay, but he been waiting since it came in.