It was on 8th January this year that the Department of Work and Pensions admitted that it had messed up big time when drafting Bedroom Tax legislation by not correctly updating housing benefit regulations dating from 1996.
This created a loophole in the dreaded, unfair policy which meant that any social housing tenants who have lived in their property since at least 1st January 1996 and have been continuously entitled to housing benefit since that date were exempt from the Bedroom Tax. There's even a four week break in claiming allowed.
On 3rd March the ConDem Government is closing the loophole but in the meantime anyone who has claimed housing benefit non-stop since 1996 is being urged to write to Salford Council with their details.
Broughton's Maria Brabiner, now Vice President of Greater Manchester Anti Bedroom Tax Federation, says that people should put their claim in writing direct to the Council's housing benefits office rather than their housing provider
"Don't get in touch with Salix Homes or City West Housing as it's not them who deal with it, you just need to write a letter to Salford Council housing benefits office" she says "If you don't feel comfortable with writing a letter you can call into the Greater Manchester Federation's Bedroom Tax drop-in office"
The drop-in runs every Friday 10-11:30am at Friends Meeting House on Mount Street in Manchester and is run by Bedroom Tax expert Mr River Axe-The-Tax, who changed his name to fit his anger at the ConDem Government.
"The more people who are exempt the better, it's another nail in the Government's coffin" explains Maria "Two weeks ago the SNP and Labour Party in Scotland did a deal to pay people's Bedroom Tax as they can't abolish the Tax until this current Government is gone. But it shows that the battle against the Bedroom Tax can be won."
As Salford Star reported in January those affected by the Bedroom Tax are losing an average of £726 a year, while tenants arrears are expected to run to over £1million this year (see article – click here). Even so, no-one in Salford has been evicted yet or taken to court to face eviction.
For some of those who are suffering from the ConDem Tax on the poor, there is some possible relief – as long as the claim goes in by March 3rd…
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