Bedroom Tax: Still making tenants' lives hell

Does the Affordable Housing Bill mean the end of the Bedroom Tax?  

How does it impact tenants now and in the future?

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/19457

Campaign Group Summons City Council to appear at Court.

Nottingham City Council had been asked to meet with the Scrap the Bedroom Tax campaign group back in December last year and despite repeated attempts at a dialogue and giving Nottingham City Council ample opportunity, no meeting has taken place. 

The campaign group were informed that Cllr Dave Liversidge was willing to meet campaign members and discuss concerns the group have yet this has not happened. The group made a final request to both Cllr Dave Liversidge and Cllr Graham Chapman for a meeting but this request like others met with no response from either Councillor.

The summons today (22/5/14) is to draw attention to the Councils continued court actions against Bedroom Tax victims and the failure to follow procedures to prevent evictions or further court action.

Despite claimants with arrears that are reducing and payments being made, the council are still pressing on with court action and it is because of this and other failings that the council have not taken care to avoid, the campaign group members are serving a summons to meet to discuss these matters in a more public forum.

After serving the summons at 1pm, the Scrap the Bedroom Tax, Defend Council Tax Benefits Campaign group will be moving to the courts for its

1.30pm campaign outside the County Court on Canal Street. (at the back of the bus station)

Local campaign group calls meeting with Nottingham City Council over bedroom tax pre-court protocol failures.

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Scrap the Bedroom Tax Defend Council Tax Benefits campaign have requested a meeting with Nottingham City Council as a matter of urgency amid concerns that the Council are failing to follow the pre-court protocol for tenants hit with the bedroom tax.

The campaign group are concerned that the council is not engaging with tenants who are in bedroom tax arrears, not giving tenants the information they need, and not trying to make arrangements with them before taking them to court. 

In the most recent example, a tenant who is less than four weeks in arrears and whose arrears have been decreasing since January, has received a court summons for possession of their home from the council.

This is the second time the campaign group has requested in writing, a meeting with Councillors, as well as previously making a verbal request.

We will keep you up to date with the outcome of this meeting request.

Bedroom Tax Protest

The Scrap the Bedroom Tax, Defend Council Tax Benefits campaign group are holding a protest against the bedroom tax on Saturday 5th April 2014 from 1pm at the Brian Clough statue (off Market Square, Nottingham).

Please come along and show your support.

Ross Longhurst to be released

Updated about Ross Longhurst

The Scrap the Bedroom Tax, Defend Council Tax Benefits Campaign group are pleased to say that Ross Longhurst is due for release later this week. 

The campaign group were also asked to make it clear that Ross does not want to be greeted from prison, all he wants to do is to get home.

Solidarity for Ross Longhurst

Ross Longhurst jailed for protesting against attacks on the poor

Ross Longhurst aged 72 years and a longstanding campaigner has been jailed for 28 days for not paying his Council Tax Ross refused to pay in protest and wrote before his hearing: "For the fourth year running Nottingham City Council are imposing cuts on local services which target the most vulnerable sections of the community such as children and old people.  

This is part of the Coalition Government's war on the poor and the Labour-controlled council are slavishly implementing the cuts.” 

Cathy Meadows, Chair, Nottingham Stop the Bedroom Tax/Defend Council Tax Benefits Campaign gave our solidarity to Ross on Radio Nottingham and to any people who feel so angry at the injustice they are making a stand even not affected themselves.

Cathy made the point that many people are being forced to choose between food, fuel, council tax and rent because of cuts to benefits and cannot afford to pay council tax; that a year ago people whose income was so low that they were considered too poor to pay council tax are now being told to pay yet their income is still low; and from this April, the minimum amount the [massive majority Labour] Nottingham City Council is charging will be 20% of council tax. Cathy made the point that the council should stop harassing people and stop stop sending bailiffs stop threatening people with eviction.

The campaign is clear: The council should not pursue people for council tax or rent arrears if benefit has been cut or if people are now being asked to pay council tax / increased council tax because of the austerity measure

As Cathy made clear; in the short term the council should use its reserves to cover the costs.  The council should be working with the community and trade unions to demand the necessary money from the government

Nottingham Stop the Bedroom Tax/Defend Council Tax Benefits Campaign gives advice to people on a case by case basis to help support them when they receive letters from the council or social landlord including court letters.

On the same day the thisisnottingham website reported that a business man was spared prison after £4m of fake goods were found.  Nottingham Magistrates’ Court sentenced the man to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Council Tax protester Ross Longhurst could face going to prison.

Later today (13th March 2014) the council tax protester Ross Longhurst, well known for his Robin Hood hat when he is protesting against the Council Tax is due in Magistrates Court over non-payment of council tax.

Last night the spokes person for Scrap the Bedroom Tax, Defend Council Tax Benefits Campaign made this statement.

many people are being forced to choose between food, heating and paying bills because of attacks on Council Tax Support and Bedroom Tax and we give support to anyone who cannot pay the council tax who is now being asked to pay. We are giving advice to people on a case by case basis.

We give solidarity to Ross Longhurst who feels so disgusted by the attacks on benefits that he is making a stand.

The immoral maze of Britain's benefits system

The Guardian, Tuesday 25 February 2014

• Zoe Williams laments that the left can't countermand the image of the "not really" disabled by quoting figures (It's the cumulative impact of benefit cuts that is shocking, 20 February). True; but it would help if Rachel Reeves ("tougher than the Tories on benefits") didn't join in the narrative.

Labour councils are persistently pursuing residents who are in council tax and bedroom tax debt – largely the consequence of benefit reforms – with summonses, bailiffs and evictions. This sends a message that those under attack at best aren't worth fighting for and at worst deserve it. A national local council campaign of legal non-co-operation with the council tax support scheme and bedroom tax, backed by community groups and campaigners, alongside a serious demand for David Cameron to make up the funding shortfall, would cut through any existential doubt that such mistreatment was in some way justified, would give hope to those under attack, and pave the way for fighting off other disastrous welfare reforms. If not now, when?
Cathy Meadows 
Nottingham & Notts Scrap the Bedroom Tax Defend Council Tax Benefit

Full article here

Nottingham City Council make 20% cut to council tax benefits

The Scrap the Tax, Defend Council Tax Benefits campaign group were out today campaigning against the 25 Million in cuts to services & benefits.

Residents in the city who are on welfare now face a 20% cut to the Council Tax Benefits they receive. This is roughly £250 a year that people on low incomes and the unemployed in very little benefits will have to find to pay council tax. It is unacceptable that the council should chose to impose these cuts on the residents of Nottingham, especially those who rely on welfare.

Becci Heagney was interviewed
by East Midlands Today
reporter Quentin  Rayner.

Once again the low wage earners and unemployed will be hard hit again after one round of benefit cuts at 8.5% last year, this cut of 20% comes at a time when the Council has increased the rent on its housing stock by more than 17%, these cuts to benefits coupled with the increase in Rent and Council Tax is unacceptable and it is putting people who are already hard hit in to even more hardship unnecessarily.

Nottingham City Council has more than enough reserves to bridge the gap yet they have decided to do the Tories dirty work and have made cuts in welfare benefits. Anyone can become unemployed at any time and may need to access a welfare benefits system that no longer provides the support when needed.

In the cuts to services, the council announced that 76 posts will close to save money, this is at a time where the council have also in the same breath announced that they have taken on 50 apprentices. 

©2014,BBC East Midlands Today.

The Scrap the Tax, Defend Council Tax Benefits Campaign group are holding their next meeting on the 18th March 2014 @ 7pm at the Chase Neighbourhood Centre in St Anns. The meeting is open to anyone who wishes to attend and offers support and information for those who are suffering because of the Bedroom Tax and Council Tax Benefit cuts.

Protest, Full Council Meeting, 3rd March 2014

PROTEST!

Where:      Outside Council House

When:       Full Council meet to agree their budget on 3rd March 2014.

• 20% cuts to council tax benefit proposed. 

• Four times as many people referred to bailiffs in 2013 as 2014 for council tax debt.

• Above inflation rate council house rent increases.

• Closure of Sneinton House – hostel workers made redundant and loss of hostel space for 40 men.

• Closure of Healthy Gay Nottingham.

• And more….

Meanwhile the Council continue to spend money pursuing possession proceedings for tenants in debt because of bedroom tax.

PROTEST!

Monday 3rd March
1pm Market Square

Don’t vote for Nottingham City Council House two tier rent increase!

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Scrap the Bedroom Tax Defend Council Tax Benefits is urging council house tenants not to vote for a divisive rent increase which could hit those who are already struggling to pay their rent including those who cannot pay bedroom tax, harder than others. Nottingham City Council has given tenants only 7 days notice to vote for just two options: 

• Option 1 as: “4.68% [rent increase] for responsible tenants, otherwise 7.5% [rent increase]”. 
•  Option 2: 5.48% increase for all. 

Our group say tenants should refuse to choose Option 1 (two tier rent increase) and should return the questionnaire refusing both options if they think the across the board rent increase (option 2) is too high – Council house rents have increased by over a third in the last five years. We say that the two tier option adds an unnecessary layer of complexity to rent charges, that information about the two tier option is unclear and information on the leaflet about who is not eligible for the lower rent increase is not complete. 

To complete the questionnaire go to: http://www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk/documents/paying_your_rent/Rent_Increase_information_Feb%202014.pdf 


 To contact Scrap the Bedroom Tax Defend Council Tax Benefit Nottingham contact: defendcounciltaxbenefits

Meeting on 4th Feb

Letter to Nottingham City Council

27 January 2014

To Nottingham City Council

We are writing regarding the Consequential Provision Regulations (CPR 2006).

On  9 January 2014 it became headline news that Central Government and Local Councils were not following these regulations in relation to the Bedroom Tax.

Summary

• Since the news about CPR 2006 broke, two of our members have been told by Nottingham City Council that the regulations, which exempt them from Bedroom Tax, do not exist.  We urge the Council to investigate this.
• Nottingham City Council has failed to swiftly and promptly devise or implement a strategy to stop charging and to refund tenants who are exempt from the Bedroom Tax under CPR 2006 or has failed to make known such a strategy.
• We are requesting information on what the Council has done to follow the regulations since their existence became public knowledge.
• We note that Nottingham City Council say that it will not set a no evictions policy for tenants in arrears because of bedroom tax because it is “illegal” (not correct), but they appear to show no such determination or motivation to take action to keep to housing benefit rules.
• We are requesting information on what the Council has done to follow the regulations since their existence became public knowledge.
• We note that Nottingham City Council say that it will not set a no evictions policy for tenants in arrears because of bedroom tax because it is “illegal” (not correct), but they appear to show no such determination or motivation to take action to keep to housing benefit rules.
• We note that last week Nottingham City Council have publicized a motion calling on the Government to scrap the bedroom tax (This is the second such motion in 7 months), but have put no such resources into dealing with the issues raised by the CPR 2006.
• We call on Nottingham City Council to devise and implement an appropriate strategy to respond to errors regarding this regulation.
• We propose a strategy.
• We note that the Council have failed to respond to two letters sent by the campaign and two questions that were submitted to a Council Meeting.  This is not an acceptable response from elected representatives.
• We express concern and give examples of the impact of the bedroom tax and call on all Nottingham City councillors to act to ensure that the Council responds to this letter and that they implement our proposed strategy urgently. We also call on councillors to contact us to discuss the practicalities of a No-evictions policy for Nottingham similar to that implemented by Broxtowe Borough Council.

Main Letter
We have been contacted by two of our members who are being charged Bedroom Tax who read the recent headlines (9 January 2014) about Consequential Provision Regulations 2006 and wanted to inform the Council that they were exempt from Bedroom Tax under these regulations (having been tenants since before 1996).  They were both told (independently) that no such regulations existed.  No information was provided about how to get charges stopped or how to get a refund on Bedroom tax that has been paid.  They were simply told that the regulations did not exist. 

We are extremely concerned that Nottingham City Council is misinforming tenants and charging and failing to refund tenants who are exempt from the Bedroom tax.

Please would you investigate this matter.

Nottingham City Council has repeatedly told the public that they cannot implement a No-evictions policy for people in arrears as a result of Bedroom Tax because it is “illegal”.  They have also said that Broxtowe Borough Council are not implementing such a policy when in fact Broxtowe Borough (with 17 Labour, 17 Conservative and 10 Lib Dem councilors) have agreed, and is keeping to a no evictions policy.  However they have shown no such determination or motivation to keep to Housing Benefit regulations that have recently come to light and correct mistakes made by failing to follow Housing Benefit rules. 

Last week (week beginning 20 January 2014) Nottingham City Council publicised that a motion is being put forward at the next Council meeting calling on the Government to scrap the bedroom tax.  Last July, the Council put forward a similar motion.  It is clear that such motions have no effect.  We question why the Council are putting resources into empty gestures while failing to address the CPR 2006 issue which would free some people from the bedroom tax.

We are calling on the Council to immediately agree, publicise and implement a strategy to stop charging tenants who are exempt, and to refund tenants who have been charged in error as a matter of great urgency.  We are calling on them to use their influence and leadership to urge all Social Housing Providers with tenants in Nottingham to do likewise.

Please would you inform us what Nottingham City Council has done to publicise the regulations, to find out which tenants are exempt, to stop charging people who are exempt and to refund tenants charged in error.

We propose the following strategy:

• Immediately examine records of all tenants who have been charged with bedroom tax to date, or who contact the Council to enquire about the CPR 2006 exemption. Identify all those in continuous receipt of Housing Benefit since before 1996.
• For all those tenants, award Housing Benefit back to 1st of April 2013 immediately. (including those who have been awarded DHP).  Refund all payments made by tenants due to the error. Confirm in writing.
• Publicise the exemption to alert all Nottingham City Housing tenants and all other social housing tenants for whom records don’t go back far enough or who have been forced to hold more than one tenancy during that period.  Encourage them to contact the Council.
• Respond to all enquirers accurately and promptly.  Immediately examine records and where no records exist the onus is on the Council to prove the tenant is not exempt. 
• Inform tenants where they can get free independent advice.

We note that the Council have failed to respond to two letters sent by the campaign and two questions that were submitted to July 2013 Council Meeting.  This is not an acceptable response from elected representatives.

The Bedroom Tax is causing untold pressures on vulnerable and disadvantaged households.  Every week Scrap the Bedroom Tax Defend Council Tax Benefits Nottinghamshire hears of people only going out once a fortnight to shop and pay bills, some spending the day/evenings away from home to reduce heating bills, using food banks, having to borrow from family and friends etc.  We have also heard of tenants having suicidal thoughts and of two attempted suicides prompted by the Bedroom Tax.

We call on all councillors to take leadership on this issue and act to ensure that the Council responds to this letter and that they implement our proposed strategy urgently. We also call on councillors to contact us to discuss the practicalities of a No-evictions policy for Nottingham similar to that implemented by Broxtowe Borough Council.

Yours faithfully

Cathy Meadows

Chair

defendcounciltaxbenefits@yahoo.co.uk

Nottingham City Council - Budget Consultation Meeting

Yet again Nottingham City Council who are "on our side" as they claim, have left notice of a consultation meeting until the last minute. The notice that a budget meeting / consultation was being held was stumbled across that advertising the meeting.

Nottingham City Council are notorious for this lack of publicity, they do not properly advertise any of these consultation and therefore turn out is low. The first meeting on the list for Clifton has passed but still theirs time to attend the others. 

So here is the information, if you want to attend then please look up the dates for your area and have your say on where budgets are spent...

We oppose all cuts in the council, we also make it clear that we campaign for a properly funded welfare system.

Meeting on Tuesday 21 Jan 2014

 

First Council to make refunds for bedroom tax....

Exeter City Council has revealed that "a small of number" of its tenants are due bedroom tax refunds after the revelation that some of the policy's victims are legally exempt.

Full article here: http://www.24dash.com/news/local_government/2014-01-10-First-council-announces-bedroom-tax-refunds-since-revelation-of-legal-loophole

Bedroom Tax 1996 Ruling

DWP confirms "temporary bedroom tax" loophole

Thousands of social housing tenants will be temporarily exempted from the bedroom tax as a result of a ‘technical error’ in legislation.

The Department for Work and Pensions yesterday issued an ‘urgent bulletin’ saying tenants meeting specific criteria should have the cut in their bedroom tax removed until legislation is amended. The DWP also said councils should refund deductions made since last April.

The exemption applies to tenants who have been continuously claiming housing benefit from before 1 January 1996 and have lived at the same address.

This is because the ‘eligible rent’ referred to in bedroom tax regulations does not apply prior to 1 January 1996, when a previous set of rules existed. A number of housing experts told Inside Housingyesterday, before the DWP’s circular, that tenants would have a good chance of using the loophole to overturn benefit decisions at tribunal.

The loophole was discovered by housing benefit specialist Peter Barker, after hearing that a tribunal judge had asked whether a tenant had been claiming since 1996.

Mr Barker, who estimates that up to 10,000 tenants could be affected, said: ‘This is 100 per cent watertight as far as I can see.’ Mr Barker said if tenants take ‘reasonable’ steps to try to show they qualify, and the council can’t disprove it, they stand a good chance of winning at a tribunal.

Sam Lister, policy and practice officer at the Chartered Institute of Housing, also said that claimants would stand a chance of overturning benefit decisions. He said: ‘This is a potential way out but until a case is decided by the upper tribunal we won’t know for certain.’

Tenants still of working age who have been unable to work long-term due to sickness or disability are those most likely to benefit from the exemption. The exemption applies to tenants who have had a break in benefit entitlement of no more than four weeks.

The DWP is likely to close the loophole by changing the regulations and the bulletin suggests legislation will be amended. The department’s bulletin said: ‘The department will however be taking steps to remedy this shortly.’

A spokesperson for the DWP said it believes ‘very few’ tenants will be affected.

Article can be found here: http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/regulation/dwp-confirms-temporary-bedroom-tax-loophole/7001541.article