Sarah says Scrap the Bedroom Tax

Sarah is calling for the government to abolish the Bedroom Tax and voted with Labour MPs to abolish the tax affecting nearly 2,000 households in Rotherham alone. The housing benefit changes brought in by the coalition will mean low income families shelling out nearly £700 a year on average.

Rotherham has already been unfairly singled out by the Bedroom Tax, with housing benefit receiving an extra 3% cut on average when compared to the rest of South Yorkshire.

If the housing benefits changes are not reversed, the Bedroom Tax will cost Rotherham half a million pounds over the next five years alone.

Sarah commented:

I have been clear and consistent on my opposition to this tax in Parliament. The government must scrap the hated Bedroom Tax. This tax is cruel, unfair and isn't working and hurts those on low incomes the most. Whilst this vote will not abolish the tax, it will provide protections for the most vulnerable in society.

The lack of social housing is where the government should look if they want to reduce housing benefit claims. Since 2010 affordable home building has fallen to the lowest level in 20 years. Punishing the disabled, the elderly, even those who want to move but can't, is not a solution. The government should reverse their 60% slash of the affordable house building budget and adopt Labour's pledge to build 200,000 homes a year by 2020.