Bedroom tax victims account for a third of all evictions in Stoke
- 13 Oct
Of 65 families evicted from social housing in Stoke over the past eighteen months, 25 were due to the government's spare bedroom subsidy.
Figures shows that in the last eighteen months 65 households were served their notices by Stoke-on-Trent City Council after they'd fallen behind on their rent, however 25 of those families were evicted due to the government's bedroom tax, reports The Mirror.
Due to this North Staffs Against Cuts is calling on the council to introduce a no eviction policy for people who are affected by the Bedroom Tax, as they people evicted often end up relying on the authority's own homelessness scheme.
NSAC member Jason Hill, from Burslem, Staffs, said: "I think it's an absolute disgrace that a Labour-run council is evicting people because of a Conservative policy. I thought the council's role was to serve local people, rather than simply carry out the diktats of the government."
Cllr Joy Garner, Stoke council cabinet member, said: "Forty already owed us rent, but 25 appear to have been solely affected by the Government's welfare reforms, as they weren't previously in arrears. We will always try to help people who genuinely can't pay. Eviction is a last resort."
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "Ending the spare room subsidy was vital to return fairness to the system and we have made over £1.2m available to the council to support the most vulnerable people."
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