Council urge not introduce no eviction bed tax policy

PRESSURE is being applied to Rugby Borough Council not to evict people who cannot pay the bedroom tax.

Members of the Rugby Green Party have written to councillors urging them to follow the lead of the Green-led Brighton and Hove Council in adopting a no eviction policy.

The call comes after the revelation an error by the Department of Work and Pensions means that thousands of people nationwide have been wrongly identified as liable for the controversial tax, including some who now face eviction or have been forced to move to a smaller property.

The council said no-one had been evicted so far, but refused to rule out the possibility of that changing.

Steve Wright of the Rugby Greens said: “It’s not a lifestyle choice to be chronically sick or disabled, and it’s not a matter of choice to be one of the estimated 4.8 million Britons (20 per cent of all employees) working below a living wage of £7.20 per hour, and so needing to claim housing benefit to keep a roof over their heads.

“The government rushed the bedroom tax through Parliament with little regard to impact on the poorest section of the community and the ability of local authorities to carry out this flawed and expensive folly.”

Council communities spokeswoman Coun Leigh Hunt said she was committed to supporting our tenants to stay in their homes, but said rents

allowed the council to maintain and improve its homes, and build new ones.

“However, eviction remains the last resort, and I’d urge any tenant who has concerns over paying their rent to contact their housing officer to discuss the options available.”

The bedroom tax, introduced in April, imposes an average penalty of between £14 and £22 a week on working-age tenants deemed to have more bedrooms than they need.

Other councils formulating similar no eviction policies included Edinburgh, Bristol, Broxtowe, Highlands, Darlington, Islington and Dundee.

The Greens have also called on the council not to pursue debts that are not collectable due to poverty.

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