67,000 pensioners will get housing benefit cuts
- 15 Feb
Over 67,000 pensioners are likely to be hit by the bedroom tax and will lose housing benefits after the introduction of Universal Credit.
Research shows that 67,000 households who are going to be affected by bedroom tax are rented by one partner over pension age and one under.
Even though the government has insisted that the cut to benefits will only affect those of working age, research carried out by the Chartered Institute of Housing shows these households will be affected.
The bedroom tax will not affect them at it's introduction in April, but when they are moved on to Universal Credit when it is introduced following October, their benefit will be cut.
This is because, according to the Department of Work and Pensions impact assessment, couples will remain on universal credit until both partners reach pension age, and the bedroom tax is cut from all universal credit claimants.
Gavin Smart, policy and practice director at the CIH, described the findings as ‘extremely worrying'.
He said:
The government needs to make sure these people are protected as the transition to universal credit takes place.
A DWP spokesperson confirmed such ‘mixed-age' couples will be affected when they transfer to universal credit between October 2013 and 2017. He also said the younger person in the couple will benefit from ‘work incentives' through universal credit.
Source: Inside Housing
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