Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, MP slammed the Coalition’s proposal to cut housing benefit for people with a spare room in social housing from 1st April, known as the ‘Bedroom Tax’, during Prime Minister’s Questions today (27th February).
She challenged the Prime Minister to justify the policy at the same time that his Government has prioritised a £100,000 tax cut for millionaires.
It is estimated that the measure will cost an estimated 660,000 people an average of £728 per year. Disabled people, foster families, parents of serving members of the Armed Forces and 140,000 working households will lose out. One third of the households hit are families with children, whilst two thirds of those affected are home to someone with a disability.
Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions, Catherine said:
“The Tory Government, assisted by their Lib Dem colleagues, stated the Coalition would ensure that fairness would be ‘at the heart of its decisions so that all those most in need are protected’.
“The Bedroom Tax would illustrate just how laughable that statement is, if its implications weren’t so serious.
“We all accept that there is a problem with people living in overcrowded social housing – but the answer to that is not to make other people homeless. The Government’s own impact assessment of the policy acknowledges there is a shortage of smaller properties for tenants to move to.
“I have many, many vulnerable constituents who want to move to a smaller property, have been unable to do so, and now face a hit of around £14 per week which they simply cannot afford. The Government has totally failed to address what will happen to these people once this shameful policy kicks in on 1st April.
“On the same day, the Tory-Lib Dem Government is introducing a £100,000 tax cut for millionaires. Just how is this fair?”
Catherine’s question to the Prime Minister was:
“I have a vulnerable constituent, near pension age, who has lived in the same house his whole life. His parents have now died, he is willing to be rehoused, but cannot find an alternative. He now faces homelessness because he simply can’t afford the Government’s Bedroom Tax.
Can the Prime Minister explain why he has prioritised a tax cut for millionaires whilst devastating the lives of vulnerable people?”