Third 'behind on rent' since changes

Source BBC News@ tienganhvui.com

18 September 2013 Last updated at 17:32 ET

Protestors claim the so-called bedroom tax could lead to evictions

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Tens of thousands of people affected by the removal of the spare room subsidy have fallen behind with their rent, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF).

The NHF said half of those affected by the so-called bedroom tax went into arrears between April and June.

It said 32,000 tenants had gone into arrears, or further into arrears, just after the policy started.

But the government said the removal of the subsidy was a necessary reform.

For its survey, the NHF surveyed 51 housing associations across the country.

In a separate sample, it also found that 25% of tenants affected by the spare room subsidy had gone into arrears for the first time.

"This is the most damning evidence yet to show that the bedroom tax is pushing thousands of families into a spiralling cycle of debt," said David Orr, the NHF's chief executive.

"If these figures are replicated nationwide, over 330,000 households could already be struggling to pay their rent and facing a frightening and uncertain future," he said.

The changes, introduced in April, mean that tenants with one spare bedroom have lost 14% of their housing benefit, or £14 a week on average for someone in a council house. Those in housing association accommodation have lost an average of £16 a week.

Anyone with two or more spare bedrooms will have lost 25% of their housing benefit.

Hardship

But the government took issue with the survey, saying it was based on a narrow sample, and only covered the first three months of the policy.

"It is just wrong to suggest the early stages of the policy - as people start to adjust to the changes - represent long-term trends in any way whatsoever," said a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

He added that the removal of the spare room subsidy was "a necessary reform to return fairness to housing benefit".

The government has said the change will save the taxpayer £500m this year, and a similar amount next year.

However, it said it will monitor what happens, to make sure the change is applied fairly.

It has already provided £190m as a transitional subsidy, to ease cases of hardship.

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