People in The Deepings and Bourne are among those hardest hit by the Government’s controversial bedroom tax.
Research from the National Housing Federation (NHF) reveals 1,043 South Kesteven residents are losing almost £703 in benefits a year – while 543 in South Holland are losing an average of almost £681.
The NHF and Deeping St James councillor Phil Dilks say disabled people are being hardest hit because often they live in two-bedroom, adapted accommodation on doctors’ orders and can’t downsize because there’s nowhere for them to go.
People on benefits lose money for every “spare” bedroom they have – often disabled people cannot share a room with their partners but they get penalised all the same.
Coun Dilks said: “The bedroom tax is hitting the disabled and most vulnerable hardest here in The Deepings and across the country. I warned at South Kesteven District Council that it was a car crash, both unfair and unworkable as there are no one-bedroom alternatives for people to move to and not enough short term help for those forced to leave their homes.”
The NHF wants bedroom tax scrapped.
Spokesman Kate Warburton said: “The bedroom tax is trapping many people in homes they can no longer afford and where they are struggling to pay their rents. It is unfair, badly designed, and must be repealed.” She said the Government say discretionary housing payments will help those who cannot downsize, but there isn’t enough to go around.
• MP John Hayes, who backed bedroom tax, was not available to comment.