Bedroom tax

I have been somewhat negatively impacted by this bedroom tax.

My wife and I separated early last year, our two children (Boy 7, Girl 4) live with their mother, or I should say she is classed as primary carer even though we each have them 50% of the time.

At the time of our separation we privately rented a 4 bedroom end terrace street house.

After the separation my wife and kids stayed in that property and I obviously needed to find an adequate property so that the kids could stay with me, unfortunately with rents being as high as they are I was forced into renting a 2 bedroom house privately. (not exactly ideal as I will be required to move to a 3 bedroom house once my son turns 10, or only have one of the kids staying with me at a time)

My ex wife has now moved further away from me because she would have lost a good sized chunk of her benefits due to the bedroom tax and there weren't any suitably sized properties in the local area with low enough rents (she works part time, but will return full time I would imagine, and due to being primary carer I believe receives some pretty hefty tax credits and benefits)

So now I find myself in a position where my kids now live further away from me and as a knock on effect I have less disposable income due to travel costs etc simply because her hand was forced.

She was on the council house waiting list, but to be fair she would have stood more chance of finding a necklace made from hens teeth and unicorn poo than getting into a social housing property.

On one hand I do agree that something needs to be done, on the other hand I really do not like what the system has done to me and my kids.
 
zootfloot said:
I have been somewhat negatively impacted by this bedroom tax.

My wife and I separated early last year, our two children (Boy 7, Girl 4) live with their mother, or I should say she is classed as primary carer even though we each have them 50% of the time.

At the time of our separation we privately rented a 4 bedroom end terrace street house.

After the separation my wife and kids stayed in that property and I obviously needed to find an adequate property so that the kids could stay with me, unfortunately with rents being as high as they are I was forced into renting a 2 bedroom house privately. (not exactly ideal as I will be required to move to a 3 bedroom house once my son turns 10, or only have one of the kids staying with me at a time)

My ex wife has now moved further away from me because she would have lost a good sized chunk of her benefits due to the bedroom tax and there weren't any suitably sized properties in the local area with low enough rents (she works part time, but will return full time I would imagine, and due to being primary carer I believe receives some pretty hefty tax credits and benefits)

So now I find myself in a position where my kids now live further away from me and as a knock on effect I have less disposable income due to travel costs etc simply because her hand was forced.

She was on the council house waiting list, but to be fair she would have stood more chance of finding a necklace made from hens teeth and unicorn poo than getting into a social housing property.

On one hand I do agree that something needs to be done, on the other hand I really do not like what the system has done to me and my kids.
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For arguments sake, how old are you and the ex-wife? How long were you together for? Why did it end?
 
zootfloot said:
I have been somewhat negatively impacted by this bedroom tax.

<snip>

At the time of our separation we privately rented a 4 bedroom end terrace street house.
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If you are both in private rented, how does the change affect you? LHA already accounts for the size of property a family needs and the change that is being made bring the social sector into line with the way the private sector already works.
 
Third Opinion said:
I can't rent privately due to credit rating, however I could easily get a 1 bed flat that was in a livable condition for £550.
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If you have a guarantor then many agencies/landlords are happy to take you on - I have a shocking credit history (thanks to an ex) and have no trouble renting with my mum as a guarantor.

If you don't have a suitable guarantor, then I believe some housing associations/local authorities will actually stand as one for you.
 
zootfloot said:
On one hand I do agree that something needs to be done, on the other hand I really do not like what the system has done to me and my kids.
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Whilst something does indeed need to be done, taking from the poorest whilst giving to the richest, who caused the problems in the first place, not the poor, is not the answer.

Tax the rich more, they do not deserve their money, capitalism has taken the power of capital far too far.
 
aln said:
For arguments sake, how old are you and the ex-wife? How long were you together for? Why did it end?
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I am 35, wife was 33 and we were together for 16 years, it ended because she met someone in London when she was on a theatre break and had an affair with him.

grumpysculler said:
If you are both in private rented, how does the change affect you? LHA already accounts for the size of property a family needs and the change that is being made bring the social sector into line with the way the private sector already works.
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Sorry, I missed some information out....last year her landlord changed over to become a social housing provider.



I should also say that she did ask her landlord whether he had any other suitable properties available which he did not, the day after she moved out a new family moved in.

The LHA thing doesn't affect me at all, I work full time and do not claim anything other than the single occupancy relief on council tax.
 
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hurfdurf said:
Tax the rich more, they do not deserve their
money, capitalism has taken the power of capital far too far.
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Once you have finished taxing the rich to hell and given it to people who will just **** it up the wall who do you go after next.

Also define rich. Is this asset wealth, or salary or both or what?

By global definition the vast majority in the UK are already rich.

Personally I think we we should cull some of the bottom off, they are just dragging the rest of us down. ;)
 
Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Once you have finished taxing the rich to hell and given it to people who will just **** it up the wall who do you go after next.
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Money isn't a finite resource that disappears once you spend it, it's part of a system that moves better when money is flowing through it, the lack of flow is causing many of the financial problems we're currently having. Freeing up and using immobile capital would actually be economically beneficial.
 
zootfloot said:
I have been somewhat negatively impacted by this bedroom tax.

My wife and I separated early last year, our two children (Boy 7, Girl 4) live with their mother, or I should say she is classed as primary carer even though we each have them 50% of the time.

At the time of our separation we privately rented a 4 bedroom end terrace street house.

After the separation my wife and kids stayed in that property and I obviously needed to find an adequate property so that the kids could stay with me, unfortunately with rents being as high as they are I was forced into renting a 2 bedroom house privately. (not exactly ideal as I will be required to move to a 3 bedroom house once my son turns 10, or only have one of the kids staying with me at a time)

My ex wife has now moved further away from me because she would have lost a good sized chunk of her benefits due to the bedroom tax and there weren't any suitably sized properties in the local area with low enough rents (she works part time, but will return full time I would imagine, and due to being primary carer I believe receives some pretty hefty tax credits and benefits)

So now I find myself in a position where my kids now live further away from me and as a knock on effect I have less disposable income due to travel costs etc simply because her hand was forced.

She was on the council house waiting list, but to be fair she would have stood more chance of finding a necklace made from hens teeth and unicorn poo than getting into a social housing property.

On one hand I do agree that something needs to be done, on the other hand I really do not like what the system has done to me and my kids.
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I appreciate your situation is unpleasant, I can't imagine what it must feel like to see less of your children as a result of this change. I don't mean this to sound nasty, but I don't see why the tax payer should have to pick up the bill as a result of your failed relationship. Please dont think I'm snearing or mocking your situation. I just feel people have to start accepting that there are consequences for their actions and that it is not the job of the state to constantly step in and compensate.

While your situation sounds horrible, I'm sure your kids know you love and care for them and thats worth a hell of a lot.
 
peter_hutson said:
I appreciate your situation is unpleasant, I can't imagine what it must feel like to see less of your children as a result of this change. I don't mean this to sound nasty, but I don't see why the tax payer should have to pick up the bill as a result of your failed relationship. Please dont think I'm snearing or mocking your situation. I just feel people have to start accepting that there are consequences for their actions and that it is not the job of the state to constantly step in and compensate.

While your situation sounds horrible, I'm sure your kids know you love and care for them and thats worth a hell of a lot.
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No offence taken whatsoever, and I do agree with you to some extent.

Financially I would imagine that the ex will be better off in her new house, the rent is cheaper meaning she will in turn claim less LHA or whatever

She works (has done for 16 years), and works long shifts too, she obviously gets the tax credits that anyone in her situation would.

Like I said...I have my kids 50% of the time anyway, it would take a damn sight more than any kind of tax credit to change that.


Surely a better way to raise funds would be to only pay family allowance to families earning below a certain figure?
I wouldn't have thought that families earning 50k+ a year will really notice the £120 per month payment, whereas for a family on 16-20k per year it may make a massive difference.....although im sure that some would argue that matter.
 
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zootfloot said:
I am 35, wife was 33 and we were together for 16 years, it ended because she met someone in London when she was on a theatre break and had an affair with him.

Sorry, I missed some information out....last year her landlord changed over to become a social housing provider.
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You appear to be a rare exception of someone who's been screwed over through no fault of their own. I'm sorry to hear that buddy.
 
I think everyone agrees to some degree that something has to be done, the problem i see is that people are possibly being forced out of what could have been their family home for many many years. Not only out of their home but their neighborhood and possibly away from friends and family.
 
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Scrap the Tax marches and demonstrations taking part this weekend all over Scotland, there are rallies for the CND to coincide.
 
BBC said:
Opponents of 'bedroom tax' protest throughout UK

Thousands of people across the UK have taken part in demonstrations against changes to the benefits system which they describe as a "bedroom tax".

One of the largest marches was in Glasgow, with about 2,500 people.

About 1,000 people demonstrated outside Downing Street, with a similar number marching past the Scottish parliament.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said the current system of benefits had to be reformed because it was "unfair".

The changes will limit welfare payments to households deemed to have more rooms than they require.

Those campaigning against the UK government policy have claimed that it is effectively a tax on these households.

Bill Scott, from disability campaign group Inclusion Scotland, said two-thirds of UK households affected include a disabled person, rising to four-fifths in Scotland.

He added: "It is a disgrace that this government chose to attack disabled people."

Disability rights activist Susan Archibald, taking part in the Edinburgh demonstration, said: "We have heard talk about 'strivers and skivers'.

"One person can be a striver one day and then get made redundant. Will they be a skiver the next day? That's how easy it happens."

Mr Duncan Smith defended the reforms during a visit to Edinburgh on Wednesday.

He said: "It is unfair on taxpayers, it is unfair on those in over-crowded accommodation and it is unfair that one group of housing benefit tenants cannot have spare bedrooms and another group are subsidised."
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Foisted on Scotland by Tories we didn't vote for, who want nuclear weapons to remain on our shores against our will.

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Biohazard said:
Foisted on Scotland by Tories we didn't vote for, who want nuclear weapons to remain on our shores against our will.

52996046578270680893892.jpg
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Poster makes no sense, it will be difficult to "Won't Pay!" as it is a reduction of benefits rather than a payable tax...
 
RDM said:
Poster makes no sense, it will be difficult to "Won't Pay!" as it is a reduction of benefits rather than a payable tax...
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But arn't they going to pay HB directlty to the claimant rather than the landlord? I'd withold the lot and use it to pay for a party in the spare room.
 
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