Bedroom tax affected more than 522,000 people, first figures show
The unintended consequences of this policy, notwithstanding some trimming of sails due to the good rural proofing offices of RCPU are still having a major impact on the rural poor, who face far less in the form of alternative housing choices. This article tells us:
More than 522,000 housing benefit claimants were subject to the bedroom tax in August and had their housing benefit reduced by an average of £14.50 a week, official figures show.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the figures were the first official returns on the impact of the controversial tax, or bedroom subsidy withdrawal.
They show more than 429,000 people were penalised for having one bedroom too many, losing an average of £12.66 a week; more than 92,000 were penalised for having two excess bedrooms, and were losing an average of £23.43 a week.
The government said there had been a steady fall in the number of households affected, with 24,000 fewer claimants affected than in May.
Although some of that may be attributed to tenants downsizing, it may also be because of more people on housing benefit finding work or seeing their wages increase.