The reality of the Bedroom Tax in R.C.T. alone

Following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to RCT council by Rhondda AM Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru, it has been revealed that more than 2,400 social housing tenants in Rhondda Cynon Taff  have been affected  by the bedroom tax  and are collectively £30,000 a week worse off,

Latest figures have have shown that  revealed that up until October 2014 some 1,918 tenants were deemed to have one spare bedroom and faced an average reduction of £11 to their housing benefit.

A further 501 tenants faced an even bigger reduction of £19 for having two or more spare bedrooms.

Based on the average reductions provided by the FOI response, RCT’s 2,419 social housing tenants receive £30,617 less a week as a direct result of the bedroom tax.

Ms Wood, who lives in Penygraig n the county said

“These figures confirm once again the devastating impact of the bedroom tax on people in Rhondda Cynon Taff.“The Westminster Government should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for introducing this cruel tax, which has made many people poorer.“Plaid Cymru has always opposed this tax and it should be abolished at the first opportunity. It has created misery and more struggle for people who were already finding life hard with rising food and energy prices.”

Taken into account that Job seekers Allowance for a single person ovr 25 is £72.40 it puts into stark reality how much of a cut this 

Others may have moved to one Bedroom housing but it is possible that the rent may be higher that their previous dwelling. So any saving the Tory/Libdem coalition may be saving may actually be offset  by this.

Has any one considered this.

If you consider that there is almost certainly a call for single person accommodation even if there is a cap on how much the Government were to contribute it would be only natural for landlords to seek to raise the rents for such accommodation.

The Bedroom Tax is an attempt by the Tories and their Libdem bag carriers to shift the blame for the economic disaster we have faced over almost  the last  decade know on the unemployed  giving the impression that they are not seeking work and living a better life than "Hard Working Families".

The result of this (Which Labour have also participated in) is  that in RCT alone nearly 2500 people have seen a huge drop in their weekly allowance, and are collectively 30000 a week worse off.

Any saving on the  Budget is welcome but this small fry  and as I pointer out it may actually when you take some may be actually paying more for their accommodation   and the administration is likely to cost more.

The Bedroom Tax is an ideological move by the Tory/Libdem  Government that makes little real saving intended to reinforce the belief amongst the ordinary voter that all those on benefit are merely scroungers.