Will Bedroom Tax eviction leave this man threatened with a freezing death on the streets?
This is despicable – and shows the depths to which the Tory government sank when it imposed the Bedroom Tax on unsuspecting tenants.
The Bedroom Tax is not extracted from pensioners and Ken May, 65, is due to retire next month.
He had been living with his mother in his childhood home in Gateshead – but her death three years ago meant he became eligible to pay the tax on “spare” bedrooms until the date of his retirement.
He has struggled to do so, and is now £1,200 in arrears – so landlord Gateshead Housing Company has launched court action to evict him.
Mr May says he believes the company is desperate to shift him out of the property before he retires, as the cancellation of his Bedroom Tax and the arrival of his pension could leave him in the building indefinitely.
The company says it has tried to work with Mr May to resolve the problem (although I note that we are not told what it proposed).
I say this would not have happened if the Tories had not imposed the Bedroom Tax, which removes 14 per cent of tenants’ housing benefit for the first room deemed to be spare, and 25 per cent for two rooms.
Labour is promising to abolish the tax, which is unfair because it is levied on people who have been given no choice about where they live.
But even if Labour is elected into government, will there be a chance to repeal the tax before Mr May is thrown onto the streets?
Freezing weather has already killed one homeless person the winter.
Mr May could still end up being one of the Tories’ last victims.
Source: Man faces losing childhood home after bedroom tax plunges him into rent arrears – Mirror Online
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No responsible social landlord should evict anybody in the depths of winter. In Mr.May’s case, just cancel his eviction as in month’s time he’ll qualify for full housing benefit and able to use the amount of the bedroom tax saved to reduce his arrears.
I received a Notice of eviction on 8/1/2000 today for bedroom tax arrears!
Please help. Sign and Share my petition.
http://www.tinyurl.com/stopthebedtax
Thank you
they could at least wait till warmer weather gets here.the poor man must feel like he is facing the execution squad
Bedroom tax is just other way to get at the working class the unemployed the sick and the disabled person. What I don’t understand why the working class vote for tories they are only interested in the rich and them self’s as a lot are million airs.we need a party that is going to serve all the people , and that’s not the tories. Bois Johnsons brother left the party what is that telling you.
Jo Johnson left the government, not the party, I think.
That bedroom tax is a nightmare, abolish it now for God’s sake.