People hit by the bedroom tax in different parts of England have wildly varying chances of receiving Government help, a new survey has found.
Freedom of information requests by the National Housing Federation (NHF) sent to every council in England showed that while demand for discretionary housing payments (DHP) has nearly tripled this year people in some areas have a very low chance of receiving help.
Nationally, seven in ten people affected by the bedroom tax who applied for a DHP in the first six months of the policy received one but in parts of North Yorkshire this fell to just two in ten.
Across England, nearly a third (29%) of disabled people affected by the bedroom tax who applied for support were turned down but their likelihood of getting help was even lower in some areas, with just one in ten disabled people successful in parts of Kent.
The biggest rise in demand for DHPs was in the North East, with applications up 482% on average, compared to 2012.
NHF chief executive, David Orr, said: ‘Whenever ministers are challenged on the bedroom tax, they tell us vulnerable people are not at risk because of these DHPs but many disabled people and vulnerable families are facing miserable odds of getting help.’
