MPs have called for disabled people living in homes which have been significantly adapted to be exempt from the bedroom tax.
According to Inside Housing:
The work and pensions committee on Wednesday called for the government to change a number of its flagship reforms because of their impact on disabled and vulnerable people.
Dame Ann Begg, chair of the committee, said: ‘The government’s reforms are causing severe financial hardship to vulnerable groups, including disabled people.’
The MPs called for people living in significantly adapted homes to be exempt from the bedroom tax, under which benefit is reduced for social tenants deemed to have spare rooms. They also called for everyone on the higher rate mobility or care component of disability living allowance to be exempt. They also said affected households should be exempt if ‘there is no suitable, reasonable alternative’ home to move into.
The committee suggested that vulnerable claimants be allowed to ‘opt in’ to having the housing costs part of universal credit being paid to landlords ‘at least for the first few years as a transitional measure’. The committee’s report said: ‘Local authorities may not be able to identify vulnerable people until they have incurred significant arrears, potentially leading to debt problems and evictions and financial difficulties for landlords.’
Other suggestions include exempting households in temporary accommodation from the £26,000-a-year benefit cap and changes to allow private renters in areas of rent increases of 4 per cent or more to receive help from the targeted affordability fund.