'Banish the Bedroom Tax Monster' - Action Plan for Scotland

Support our Banish the Bedroom Tax Monster campaign at thebedroomtaxmonster.co.uk

Shelter Scotland strongly opposes the under-occupation penalty or ‘bedroom tax’ and the blunt and unfair way it targets vulnerable tenants. Since April 2013, working age social rented tenants have had a proportion of their housing benefit cut if they are deemed to have ‘spare’ bedrooms beyond their household need. In Scotland 82,500 households are affected and COSLA estimates that 40% of those will fall into rent arrears because they simply don’t have enough money to pay the difference between their rent and their housing benefit.

There has been a great deal of media attention on the bedroom tax and across Scotland, tenants, politicians, social landlords and advice providers have spoken out against it. Despite the opposition, the policy has been in place for nearly 6 months and landlords and tenants in Scotland are having to adapt to it.

Shelter Scotland has been approached by a large number of tenants who are facing a shortfall in their rent as a result of the bedroom tax, and we are offering what advice and assistance we can. More must be done at all levels to mitigate the impacts, plan for future developments and to help vulnerable families who are affected.

Shelter Scotland is leading a campaign to tackle welfare cuts and specifically the bedroom tax, at all levels. Our six point action plan underlines the central message that more should be done at every level to challenge the impacts of the bedroom tax. The action plan is aimed at the UK, Scottish and Local Government.

The action plan will help to mitigate the worst impacts of the bedroom tax and help prepare for future welfare reforms, particularly Universal Credit.