There’s a reason for bedroom tax (From Swindon Advertiser)

There’s a reason for bedroom tax

12:30pm Monday 11th March 2013 in News

WORK and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith has moved to explain to Swindon tenants the reason for the controversial “bedroom tax” coming into force next month.

Social housing tenants deemed to have one ‘spare’ bedroom will lose 14 per cent of their housing benefit (on average £11 to £12 per week) and those with two or more spare bedrooms will lose 25 per cent (on average £21.81 per week).

This will affect 1,180 council tenants and 520 housing association tenants in Swindon.

In an opinion piece on the reforms, Mr Duncan Smith said: “Some people will decide to take up work or work a few more hours to cover the difference. Others will want to move to more appropriately sized accommodation or take in a lodger.

“This change will bring housing benefit for social housing claimants in line with what claimants in the private sector already experience. But more fundamentally it will help us get a better grip of our social housing stock.”