Finish off the Bedroom Tax

The Bedroom Tax is close to death. Non-payment levels are soaring in Scotland with an estimated £25 million – half of the £50 million due – likely to be unpaid this year. Hated and reviled by those it is impoverishing; the Trade Unions, Councils, Housing Associations, the Scottish government and now even a United Nations representative has called on the Westminster government to scrap it.

A series of victories in Scotland over the bedroom tax has emboldened the anti-bedroom tax campaign in the last months.

• In Dundee in April the Bin the Bedroom Tax campaign forced the SNP-led council to agree to a “No eviction” for a year policy – the first council to do so. This pledge has now spread to a majority of councils.
• The defeat of the Labour-led North Lanarkshire council in August who had threatened eviction proceedings against a disabled woman was overturned by a community revolt. North Lanarkshire council have agreed to a No evictions till April 2014.
• A Labour MSP has now drawn up a bill that would change the legislation to rule out evictions and provide £50 million to mitigate the bedroom tax.
• Now the Scottish government, under massive pressure, have announced an extra £20 million this year for DHP payments to help mitigate the impact of the Tory tax.

It’s a step forward but it’s not enough. Only the full £50 million and a commitment to cover the loss in housing benefit for the 85,000 households affected until the bedroom tax is scrapped will do.

campaigns work

SNP and Labour politicians have been dragged into action by a mass campaign of opposition from the close on 100 local campaigns that have been set-up and the work of the Scottish Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation.

Huge public meetings, thousands on demonstrations, protests at council meetings and the Scottish parliament as well as MSPs and councillors surgeries have piled on the pressure.

Anti eviction armies are being assembled across Scotland ready to respond should any council or Housing Association attempt to inflict the ultimate sanction of Tory brutality on the poor.

We are close to a victory over this shocking piece of class hatred inflicted by a government of pampered millionaires on the poor. And we won’t stop until we do. Now we must up our campaign to demand the Bedroom Tax goes.

The money is there. Last years UNDERSPEND by the Scottish government was £179 million. There is likely be a similar underspend this year.

Between this and the reserves and borrowing powers that local councils have, no tenant in Scotland should have to worry about where they will find the money to pay this tax

All of this money must be returned by a Westminster government, either now or after the next election.

What is the use of SNP and Labour politicians if they won’t act and use the powers they do have to protect the poor, disabled and the vulnerable ? We can win this fight. If we do, it will be a victory not only against the Bedroom Tax, but against all the cuts being inflicted by the Con-Dem’s and will give confidence to all fighting back against austerity.

Socialist Party Scotland members have been at the forefront of the campaign against the Bedroom Tax, in setting up local campaigns in areas across Scotland and in the establishment of the Scottish anti-Bedroom Tax Federation. We say:

• Scottish government must act now to chanage the Housing Act and legislate for No Evictions in Scotland for the Bedroom Tax
• Scottish government, Councils and HA/s must agree to fund 100% of the money lost to tenants as a result of deductions from Housing Benefit – around £50 million a year until the Bedroom Tax is scrapped
• Westminster government must Scrap the Bedroom Tax. – All debt must be written off.