General Chat

Great thread I have to say. Re the bedroom tax. I was brought up in a council house from 1958. As I and my sister moved away my brother who has a mild learning difficulty remained with my parents. My father died and my mother remained in the house with my brother. When she died my brother legitimately was able to take over the tenancy. It is now 2013. My brother has lived in this house for 55 years he is now 60. He held down a labouring job for 30 years. He has since had 3 hip operations and now suffers from anxiety and depression. He lives on a frugal benefit and to remain in the house he has to find £100 a month to remain there. He has no chance of doing so. Local 1 bedroom accommodation does not exist. His immediate location is all he knows. I do not earn a great wage but blowed if I will allow him to be re housed miles and miles away given his health and mental state. I will pay. I do not in principal disagree with ensuring that properties are fully utilised in the council sector but moving the goal posts so quickly for the most vulnerable is totally unacceptable.

Gordon - sorry to read about your brothers predicament, he is one of the many vulnerable people affected by this rushed ill thought out piece of legislation - even someone tuppence short of a ha'penny could work out that you cannot move people into smaller properties if there are no smaller properties for them to move into.

It is also socially divisive to dismantle local communities, they should be spending money on building smaller social housing and build them in the areas where people affected by this Bedroom Tax live, instead of subsidising mortgages for properties which few ordinary working people could only ever afford in their wildest dreams.

Hope things work out ok for you and your brother.