Bedroom tax aid

News that North Lanarkshire Council has reported that the
so-called bedroom tax has caused tenants to run up arrears of £675,000 – many in arrears for the first time – will come as no surprise to everyone in 
Scotland who wants to see the unfair and destructive bedroom tax banished.

It is a policy which asks people on the lowest incomes to pay more money which they don’t have or move to smaller homes which, largely, are not there. Some choice!

It is also worrying that struggling householders don’t appear to be applying for the help that is now available to them.

The Scottish Government has committed £20 million this year and next year for local authorities to help householders struggling with their rent as a result of welfare reform, including the bedroom tax.

Shelter Scotland encourages everyone struggling as a result of the bedroom tax to apply for discretionary housing payments and for those who applied and were turned down before this money was made available to
reapply.

Financial help like this will buy struggling householders some time to save their home, but the only long-term solution is for the UK government to banish the monstrous bedroom tax once and for all.

Graeme Brown

Shelter Scotland

South Charlotte Street

Edinburgh