uk bedroom tax

[weewdy]

Is this going to affect anyone? What are your views on it?

 

[Panda_Ally]

I agree with getting people in the right size houses for their need.... e.g. council housing etc. But I don't agree that people should have to pay extra for an empty room. esp older people whose children have moved out and they don't want to move to a smaller home...... Just another way to tax the poor etc.

 

[My_First]

Not affected here either, but in response to the pp, do you not think that the house would be better placed for people with a family, though? Theres a shortage of housing as is, and if a couple are in a three bedroomed house, its only fair they move to a smaller one, so a family can go into it, and be waiting less time on the list? Its not really a 'tax' on the poor, as they can be moved to a smaller property and not pay the tax? Just my two pence really.

 

[Abz1982]

It doesnt effect me. BUT I agree with it. There are families with severe overcrowding, when you have others in a 3 bed house just them selves. Its very very unfair and unless it is because there is NO alternative housing avalible, why should they not pay for it?

 

[Rainbow82]

It doesn't affect me and on the whole I agree with it but I think that there should be exceptions such as if a property has been modified for a disabled child/adult to live in or if moving house is likely to produce a Hugh level of distress (possibly families with a child with autism? I also think that if people are very elderly it shouldn't penalise them. Fir couples who have two/three empty bedrooms because their children are grown up and living elsewhere then why shouldn't they have to pay for their spare rooms or move to allow another family who need those rooms to live there.

 

[Zizzle]

We're not affected but I agree with it! Like PP said there should be exceptions. Far too many people expect everything handed to them on a plate! I'd love to be able to afford to have spare bedrooms.

 

[Rota]

but surely being elderly and having limited money, it would be beneficial to move to a smaller property? we have discharged patients home to a council owned 3 bed roomed house and had to set up a micro enviroment for them (bed and commode in living room). the whole of the upstairs of the property not being used (this is happening more and morre often now)

not to mention the amount of elderly patients who are admitted who are unable to cope living in a bigger property. we had a lady admitted after she fell over the portable heater she had in her living room as she couldnt get up the stairs to her bedroom or afford to heat more than one room, sad but true.

i read about the 'elderly ghettos' areas of one bed roomed properties which would be fab as the elderly would have the chance to socialize with those who have similar interests/ similar age which would help so many with feelings of being isolated.

 

[6lilpigs]

The sad thing is there not enough suitable places to move the older people who may be living in larger properties into, so they are stuck where they are.

 

[sophxx]

down affect me. but i agree with it. council housing is a service just like.any service it should finish when you.don't need it. you should be able tp.stay in a house when you don't need the room and others do. if you want t have that luxury sadly you have to buy your house like others have.

 

[stephx]

I totally agree with it, and although we are in council accommodation- it doesn't affect us as we only have 2 bedrooms.

It's so annoying that waiting lists are so long for larger properties, when its purely peoples selfishness preventing them from downsizing.

I have people on FB moaning about having to downsize because they have lived there for their whole lives :S That's the beauty of RENTING though, you can live there forever but you still have no claim to the property... If you want to live somewhere permanently- the only option is to buy it.

I do think that people with disabilities should be exempt though x

 

[weewdy]

Its doesnt affect me and i do agree with the principle but i also think there should be exceptions like disabilities and special needs kids. I think them expecting kids to share a room untill 10 is a bit over the top. My neighbour has two boys one 11 months the other is 7 (he is autistic) and they are expected to share up until the eldest is 10. The woman across the road claims all rhe benefits she can and is living alone in a 4 bed house! I think every case should be looked at seperately and decided upon on their circumstances x

 

[Piggywinkle]

As far as I know, people over pension age are unaffected.

In one way, I agree with it - we live in a privately rented 3 bed at the moment with a small HB top up, and we've been responsible for our extra bedroom since day one so why shouldn't it be carried over to council/HA tenants too? I've had friends who've slept on floors and had to move into rotten b&b's with all sorts because they've nowhere to go and the council housing lists are unmanageable. Doesn't seem fair that someone can live in a home too big for their needs AND have it partially/fully paid for out of the public pot.

In another way, the reason this is happening is that there's a massive shortage of social housing which is an issue that needs to be dealt with - the government badly needs to invest in building more houses. Property prices and a lack of mortgage lending is also stopping people getting onto the property ladder and therefore are forced into council and private lets. It's a vicious circle.

 

[babydevil1989]

i agree with it although it doesnt affect us.

as for children sharing me and OH both.had to share bedrooms with our siblings until we moved out it doesnt do kids any harm in sharing at all. x

 

[Mama1985]

Hello everyone, I guess I'm the only one affected by this so far then lol

What they have done is basically changed the rules on us to well get more money! Before 2 children under the age of 5 (I think) different genders can stay in the same room (although it wasn't 'enforced' or whatever) now, 2 kids of different gender under the age of 10 can stay in the same room, under 16 2 kids with the same gender same room, over 16 own rooms.
I live in a 3 bedroom with 2 kids under 10 different gender, under the bedroom tax I apparently have a spare room, (They even have a list of things you can do to help out, like get a lodger, move into a smaller home! which BTW we aren't even thinking about since it took us this long to get the 3 bedroom place! )

It does make me laugh because when I had my son I was living in a 1 bedroom flat with my husband, daughter and new baby, we were trying to move but it was a long process, we finally had an offer on a 2 bedroom first floor flat! but we also had a letter stating that because they had finally 'put my son on the system' we wasn't eligible for a 2 bedroom, we had to wait for a 3 bedroom! and now they bring out this bedroom tax thing! it does really make me laugh.

I do agree with it when you don't have kids and you are on your own or something with a spare bedroom or 2, then it would make sense to move.

That's all lol (not to sure what to put on the end lol) BTW I hope I haven't offended or anything, please don't hate me! lol

 

[stephx]

Mama1985 are they pressuring you to downsize to a 2 bedroom now? Or are you going to pay the tax until your eldest reaches 10? x

 

[Mama1985]

hey Stephx, no they aren't pressuring me, but I'll have to pay the tax till they get older, its just gonna be really hard though, money is kinda tight at the moment.

 

[stephx]

Aw that sucks tbh, I think that mixed gender siblings sharing should be under 5's still. That bit seems a bit harsh

 

[RachA]

It doesn't affect me but i'm in two minds about it. I can see the rationale behind it because of the housing problems and i don't see why a single person or a couple need a 3 or 4 bed house, in most instances.
However i think it will affect my parents. They live in a 2 bed bungalow. The sole reason they have 2 bedrooms is that my brother and his family live abroad. They come to visit once a years - usually 2 weeks over Christmas or 6 weeks in the summer. If my parents didn't have the spare room for them they wouldn't be able to come over and visit and due to cost we can't afford to go and visit them. But i guess that is something that my parents will have to deal with if they want to see their son and 4 grandchildren.

 

[Pearls18]

Can I just ask how much extra it is for the 'extra' bedroom out of interest?

 

[special_kala]

My mum got a letter I think it said 12 per room per week