[guide.chat] want to avoid the bedroom tax
- From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:07:58 -0000
Want to avoid the bedroom tax? Foster a child: Furious row over advice to
hard-up families
28 Mar 2013 21:01
Nick Clegg blasted a council for issuing leaflets informing residents of the
loophole to avoid the Government's £14-a-week raid
Phone in: Nick Clegg on his radio show
PA
Nick Clegg launched a furious attack on Town Hall chiefs today - after it
emerged that hard-up families had been urged to avoid the new bedroom tax by
becoming foster parents.
The Deputy Prime Minister blasted Ealing council for issuing leaflets informing
residents they could escape the Government's £14-a-week raid by exploiting a
loophole introduced to protect fostered children.
Mr Clegg said he was "not happy at all" with the Labour authority's leaders for
suggesting people "change the way they are as families just to avoid that £14
extra".
From next month social housing households with a "spare" bedroom will have
their housing benefit cut - forcing many to leave their homes.
Up to 600,000 are expected to be hit by the tax, including thousands of
disabled people.
After a furious backlash, ministers introduced exemptions.
One was to allow registered foster families to avoid the benefit cut even if
their bedrooms aren't constantly being used.
The Ealing council leaflet states: "From 1st April 2013 if you rent a council
or housing association home and you have one or more spare bedrooms, your
housing benefit may be reduced.
"If you are in this position then you could think about using your spare room
to foster.
"Foster children are not counted as part of your household for housing benefit
purposes."
The leaflet came to light during Mr Clegg's weekly radio phone-in on LBC when a
caller, who gave her name only as Lisa, said: "People are going to take up the
opportunity to take in a foster child just to make ends meet."
Mr Clegg said: "I think it is not right for Ealing Council to take what was an
exemption that we announced a couple of weeks ago when we said foster families
will not be covered by this and then to use that locally to say, 'why don't you
turn yourself into a foster family?'."
A spokesman for Ealing council hit back: "We want as many people as possible to
consider fostering, and recognise welfare benefit changes may have appeared to
be a barrier to some families who could become potential foster parents.
"Until recently foster families were not exempt from the changes regarding
spare bedrooms, so we produced a leaflet to explain the position."
The Government claims the tax will save £480million a year.
David Orr, of the National Housing Federation, said: "The bedroom tax is an
ill-conceived policy which will hurt the most vulnerable people in our society.
"It will cause financial hardship for hundreds of thousands of families."
The leaflet in full
Are you a tenant or resident that will be affected by the changes to housing
benefit?
From 1st April 2013, if you rent a council or housing association home and you
have one or more spare bedrooms your housing benefit may be reduced.
If you are in this position, then you could think about using your spare room
to foster.
Foster children are not counted as part of your household for housing benefit
purposes.
Fostering is caring for a child or young person in your home when they are
unable to stay with their own families.
There are many reason to foster with Ealing Council, we provide excellent
support and all the training you will need as well as paying your a competitive
allowance.
Be There, Be an Ealing Foster Carer
Weekend's protests
More rallies are being held across Britain this weekend to fight against David
Cameron's controversial new idea - bedroom tax.
Two weeks ago, over 13,000 people came out to protest at 52 locations,
demanding an end to the changes.
from
Vanessa The Google Girl.
my skype name is rainbowstar123
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