The Bedroom Tax – Could you appeal it?
If you, like many others have been hit with the bedroom tax and feel like it has been unfairly issued, then you do have the right to appeal.
For those of you who don’t know, the bedroom tax is a change to Housing Benefit Entitlement that means people who live in a council property that is deemed to have one or more spare bedrooms will receive less in housing benefit. The number of bedrooms you can claim for is based on the number of people living in your home. You are expected to pay any outstanding rent yourself.
There are many possible arguments for people who should be challenging the bedroom tax and if any of these apply to you then you could be able to appeal:
– If you or your partner needs overnight care from someone who does not usually live with you and so need an extra room.
– If an adult son or daughter, a parent or another adult needs overnight care from someone who does not usually live with you and so you need an extra room.-
– If you or your spouse or partner needs their own room.
– If a member of your household needs an extra room for other reasons.
– If your home has been specially adapted to meet the needs of a disabled person.
– If someone in the household has mental or physical health problems.
– If the room in question is not large enough to be classed as a bedroom.
Obviously if any of these statements apply to you then you may want to take action because the chances are, you have a worthy case. You can write an appeal letter to your Housing Benefits section asking them to appeal your claim. It may help you to look at previous cases here, but just because you find a similar case to yours may not of been approved, don’t let it stop you because you may have different circumstances that.
Coast and Country has decided to support tenants who have genuine reasons for a spare room and if your landlord is also on your side, you’ll have a powerful partner.
More and more people have now started fighting back against bedroom tax after a tribunal in Middlesborough recently decided a child of parents living apart is entitled a bedroom in each of their homes for visits.
The local authority decided the single man was under-occupying his two-bed semi, but he argued the extra room was used by his son under a deal by which the boy stays two nights a week with him. The Dad appealed his first hearing which said he had to pay ….. and won.
CLICK HERE for 5 ways you can legally reduce the amount of tax you pay.
