Two-thirds of households affected by the bedroom tax are in rent arrears, with one in seven at risk of eviction, according to new research from the National Housing Federation.
The research shows that of those residents in rent arrears, more than a third (38%) owe money due to the impact of the bedroom tax. As a result, 15% of households had received an eviction risk letter by October 2013 and are in danger of losing their homes.
The research also found that each housing association spent an average of £73,250 before April 2013 to help mitigate the impact of the policy. This is expected to rise by an extra £109,00 each by March 2014.
Chief executive of the National Housing Federation, David Orr, said: ‘You can argue over what to call the policy, but there is no disputing the impact that the bedroom tax is having across the country. It is heaping misery and hardship on already struggling families, pushing them into arrears. Now many are at risk of being evicted because they simply can’t find the extra money to pay their rent.
‘These people have done nothing wrong. The Government has suddenly changed the rules and given them a false choice: move to a smaller home or pay. Yet we know there aren’t enough smaller homes in England9 for these families to move into.
‘Housing associations are doing all they can to avoid evicting residents, but as not-for-profit organisations they can’t simply write-off unpaid rent. From day one we have said the bedroom tax is unfair, unworkable and just bad policy. It’s putting severe pressure on thousands of the nation’s poorest people and must be repealed.’
