The bedroom tax is devastating one of the poorest areas of the UK and failing to free up social housing, a report finds.

Less than one hundred days into implementation of the bedroom tax, the National Housing Federation (NHF) has said 14,000 households in Merseyside have fallen into rental debt, nearly 6,000 of those for the first time.

While nearly 26,500 households in the north-western region have been impacted by the bedroom tax, a shortage in smaller properties means only 155 have managed to downsize.

Around 14,000 households in Merseyside have fallen into rental debt since introduction of the bedroom tax.

Scarcity of smaller homes in Merseyside means that if only 10% of households affected by the bedroom tax require a smaller property, social housing waiting lists in the area would rise by 5.6%.

According to the NHF, the number of households in the North West expected to be hit by the bedroom tax outnumbers families living in overcrowded accommodation by more than four to one.

Chief executive of the NHF, David Orr, said: ‘The fact is there aren’t enough smaller social homes in Merseyside for people to avoid the bedroom tax even if they wanted to move. If they rented in the private sector, where costs are higher, this would more than likely increase the benefit bill – which raises questions on why they have been asked to move in the first place.

‘The bedroom tax is hurting the most vulnerable people in Merseyside. It is time to face the facts and repeal this unfair policy now.’

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: ‘Reform of housing benefit is essential. We always monitor the impact of our policies carefully, but there is no conclusive evidence that people affected by our housing benefit reforms are not getting the help they need.’