Critics of plans to introduce a ‘bedroom tax’ in Northern Ireland,
which will reduce the benefits of those in social housing with empty
bedrooms, say the policy will increase homelessness in the region.From next April, working age households in social housing that are considered to have more bedrooms than they need will have their housing benefit cut by 14 per cent a week for ‘under-occupying’ by one bedroom and 25 per cent for two bedrooms or more.
This will affect 32,000 households in Northern Ireland where social housing is mainly family homes with three bedrooms or more, making it difficult to avoid the penalty.
SDLP social development spokesperson Mark H.Durkan MLA said “People will not be able to afford to live in their homes but nothing is being done by the Government to provide suitable solutions or alternatives.”
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Fra McCann MLA said the measure “will fundamentally affect people’s right to housing and has the potential to make 1,000’s homeless or destitute”.
The ‘Bedroom Tax’ is one of many issues Cardinal Seán Brady has raised with Minister Nelson McCausland as a matter of concern in relation to the Social Welfare Reform Bill.
This includes concern about vetting of people that poorer families may feel obliged, for financial reasons, to accept to share accommodation with.
Cardinal Brady plans to meet Welfare Reform Minister Lord Freud in Hillsborough to express his concern about the impact of the proposed reforms and to appeal to him for a special initiative to tackle child poverty in Northern Ireland.