Government bedroom guidance labelled ‘bizarre'
- 27 Sep
Government guideline place blame on landlords rather than local authorities to define a bedroom.
The government have issued guidance to local authorities this week on how to classify a bedroom for the purposed of the bedroom tax, however it has been labelled as ‘bizarre' and ‘wrong' by experts.
The Department for Work and Pensions was forced to rush out guidance that would end the confusion of what constitutes a bedroom after numerous successful first-tier tribunal bedroom tax appeals by tenants.
In its guidance this week, the DWP have told local authorities that "the only consideration should be the composition of the household and the number of bedrooms as designated by the landlord".
Policy and practise officer at the Chartered Institute of Housing, Sam Lister, has said that the guidance had "got to be wrong", reports Inside Housing.
"It is the local authority that is the decision maker, and not the landlord [according to established principles]. It can use the information the landlord provides, but it is not bound by it," he said.
Issued on Monday the circular states that landlords should consider "a number of factors" including whether the room is big enough for a single bed.
It also said that rooms should be classified as bedrooms "notwithstanding that the tenant may argue that it has been habitually used for something else".
Giles Peaker, partner at Anthony Gold Solicitors, said: ‘The circular is downright bizarre. The DWP shouldn't determine what a bedroom is, or say that a landlord's decision is determinative. This guidance does both.'
Mr Peaker has said that the appeal was a risk for the DWP as it could open the door for an upper tribunal to set a precedent that judges can determine what bedrooms are, and take size into consideration.
A spokesperson for the DWP has said that landlords have always designated bedroom number to charge rent, and the guidance did not change anything.
Image source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1426693
Related articles
- 08 Nov
NHS BOSS SETS OUT A CASE FOR CASH BOOST
The speech by Mr Stevens at the NHS Providers' annual conference of health managers is being made at the time when three reputable health think-thanks- the Health Foundation, the King's Fund and the...
- 09 Jun
THERESA MAY PLEDGES TO REPLACE THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1983
According to Ms May, the new bill would introduce the following:According to the Tories, the proposals were described as the biggest change to mental health treatment law in over 30 years.Ms May...
- 30 May
THE PRESENT FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF SCOTLAND IS TO PLEDGE AGAINST ANY PLANS TO PRIVATISE THE NHS
It is also expected that Sturgeon will do the following as proof of her party's commitment to fighting against further austerity:Sturgeon said this before Tuesday's manifesto launch:"While the polls...
- 17 Mar
402 MILLION POUNDS WILL BE INVESTED IN COUNCILS WITH THE GREATEST HOMELESSNESS DEMAND FROM APRIL 2017
Presently, funding is only used for homeless households and not for the prevention of homelessness in the first instance.The funding by the Department for Communities and Local Government is set to...
- 15 Mar
RULES AROUND PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENTS MAY CHANGE ON THURSDAY
Ministers have advised chief executives of over 30 charities which claimed that people will be left without vital financial support, to restrict access to a disability benefit.The Disability Benefits...
- 06 Mar
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED BY THE BMA TO INCREASE HEALTH SPENDING BY 10 BILLION POUNDS
This increase in health spending to a proportion of GDP that matched that of the 10 leading economies across Europe could pay for at least 35,000 extra beds a day and many more GP's, according to the...
- 05 Sep
MANY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REFUGES AT RISK OF CLOSING DUE TO HOUSING BENEFIT CAP
Women who have been victims of domestic violence as well as their children are at risk of falling into the hands of their violent partners if the government caps housing benefit in the social sector...
- 03 Sep
Data on disability benefits refused by DWP
DWP officials have refused a second request for basic information on disability benefits using the “Section 22” exemption they used previously, reports The Independent.The Department had been...
- 02 Sep
UN to investigate how welfare reforms will affect disability rights
A disability charity in Scotland has said it’s been contacted by the UN’s Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as part of an inquiry into Britain’s treatment of people with...
- 01 Sep
Benefit cuts affecting 48,500 families in Liverpool
Analysis from Liverpool City Council has found that around 48,500 households are likely to lose their benefits due to new government reforms, reports the Liverpool Echo. Councillor Jane Corbett has...
Responding to the DWP Consultation: Housing Benefit Reform - Supported Housing "Sincere thanks to Michael Patterson for an excellent presentation on the HB Reform issues in Leeds last week, and for all the very helpful info and links. I do intend to respond on behalf of our organisation, Caring For Life, but feel that Support Solutions' response is excellent." E.S. - Caring for Life
