Is Homes for Ukraine a way to beat the Bedroom Tax?
Remember the Bedroom Tax?
It was a nasty Tory tactic to deprive poor people of benefit money by claiming they were under-occupying their homes, even if they had been moved into particular properties by local councils.
So if you had one spare bedroom, you would be docked 14 per cent of your Housing Benefit. Two spare rooms meant losing a quarter of your payments.
But now the Tory government is offering to pay people to house refugees from Ukraine – right?
Under the new scheme, people may offer a Ukrainian refugee a rent-free space in their home or a separate residence, for at least six months. In return, each household housing a refugee will be offered £350 a month, tax-free – and won’t even have to provide food and living expenses if they don’t want to.
That’s at least £2,100, tax-free.
The catch with the Tory government scheme is that you have to know a Ukrainian refugee by name in order to sponsor them. Presumably the Tories thought this would limit its scope.
All it has done is push Ukrainian refugees to post on the social media, which is shameful in itself…
Ukrainian Refugees are having to 'advertise' themselves to find a sponsor in The UK…you cannot sponsor one unless you can name them…hence the posts on social media…how shocking & shameful is our government forcing them to do this?
— Barbara (@BarbaraSutton15) March 15, 2022
… but makes it entirely possible for them to be contacted by Brits.
So, if you have been hit by the Tory Bedroom Tax over the last 10 years or so, this is your chance to even up the score. Just seek out a Ukrainian refugee on the social media, join the scheme and submit their name!
In fact, if you have a word with some of the refugee charities that have sprung up, they’ll probably be able to help you too.
It’s just a thought that occurred to me after a Twitter user mentioned the Bedroom Tax…
But it could help people in both Ukraine and the UK – and foil the Tory government at the same time.
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Yes and universal or other credits will be reduced to compensate for the “unearned” income I expect. I wouldn’t touch this with a bargepole if I was on benefits
I can not help but wonder, should any benefit recipients home refugees; will the 350 count as income; thus they lose their HB?
No, whilst it may be ‘tax free’ it will still affect benefits. So it won’t help issues with bedroom tax. Mostly it will be empty nesters and probably those who have the money to afford not having to downsize.
I feel that this scheme was put forward in the most cynical way possible. I can imagine the meeting – ‘Well, if they want us to bring in Ukrainians they can take them in themselves, see if they still want them in then!’ Of course the public have stepped up anyway, despite barriers put in their way. And I note that the governments of Wales & Scotland now have agreement to be ‘super sponsors’ to enable the faster placing of refugees.
Like everything this government does it is cynical, despicable and aimed at doing the least it possibly can for those in need..