Councillors’ vow on ‘bedroom tax’

Under the reform, which will start to take effect from Monday, council tenants living in houses in which there are unoccupied bedrooms will be faced with reductions to their housing benefits. The average loss will be around £670 a year.

At a district council meeting on Wednesday evening, district Labour Group leader Cllr John Barrott (Willes) put forward a motion urging members to call on the Government to abolish the “unfair” legislation.

Cllr Barrott said: “There will be 984 properties in our district affected by this under occupancy.

“On average the loss to our tenants with one bedroom over occupancy is £12 per week for two bedroom it’s £23.56 a week.

“I’m calling on this council to step in and protect our most vulnerable residents.”

The council voted in favour of a substantive motion put forward by Cllr Norman Vincett (Con, Kenilworth St John’s) for the authority to continue to support vulnerable tenants through current policies of Home Swap, financial inclusion and discretionary grants and for a progress report to go before the council in three months time before any lobby action takes place.

Tenants who are concerned about the reforms are urged to call the council’s housing department on 412828.