COUNCIL chiefs say they are working with the borough’s biggest social landlord to try to address the fallout of the “bedroom tax”.

The authority’s ruling Labour group said it is developing a range of measures with Bolton at Home to try to tackle the fallout of the government’s under-occupancy charge.

Branded “bedroom tax” by opponents, the charge deducts money from housing benefit if the recipient is deemed to be in social or private rented housing classed as too big for their needs.

The charge was introduced on April 1 but it was recently revealed Bolton at Home — which owns 18,000 properties — is already owed £120,000 in unpaid rent, with more than 75 per cent of the tenants liable for the charge already in rent arrears.

In a statement, town hall bosses said they had signed up to a set of principles agreed following a summit of 36 Labour councils and groups opposed to the charge.

Included in the agreement is a commitment to offer advice and support to tenants impacted by the charge, offering debt management, changing the way properties are allocated to help tenants who want to downsize, and speeding up the process for providing discretionary housing payments — emergency government funding for those who are hardest hit.

Cllr Nick Peel, Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for regulatory services, said: “Since the bedroom tax was first announced, we have been working closely with Bolton at Home to try to assist those tenants affected as much as possible.

“More recently we have been looking at the consequences of arrears for those who have explored every option and still find themselves in difficulties.

“We cannot announce anything at this stage, but can say that the council and Bolton at Home are developing a range of measures so that we can prevent any additional homelessness due to the impact of the bedroom tax.”