Out in force for ‘bedroom tax’ demo
8:59am Monday 18th March 2013 in Local
CROWDS of demonstrators made a stand against the Government’s so-called “bedroom tax” at a protest in Victoria Square.
More than 100 protesters gathered outside the town hall on Saturday to show their opposition to new occupancy penalties due to come into force on April 1.
Banners were flown, speeches were given and a petition was passed round as residents and members of Bolton Unison spoke out at the event, which was organised by Labour councillor Kate Challender.
Under the new rules, people of working age living in social or rented housing who receive housing benefit will have their payments cut by 14 per cent if they have a spare room, and by 25 per cent if they have two or more.
The Government says the plans are designed to free up social housing for bigger families and cut waiting lists. But opponents claim it will hit some of society’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
In his speech, Bolton North East MP David Crausby said: “There have been so many taxes on vulnerable people over the last year. David Cameron and Nick Clegg have absolutely no right to attack the poor and the vulnerable in this way.”
Lisa Forest, a development officer for Bolton at Home in Breightmet, said: “I am here in a professional and personal capacity because I think the bedroom tax is an abomination. It will just victimise the most vulnerable in society.”
Carlene Evans, aged 31, from Farnworth, who has cerebral palsy, said she and her husband will be affected by the bedroom tax.
She said: “I have been put into a two-bedroom property that has had adaptations based on my disability. I also have a husband who is blind but, according to this new tax, as a couple, we only need one bedroom. If we are re-housed it will cost more money to make adaptations to other properties.”
Bolton West MP Julie Hilling attended, along with Labour councillors, including council leader Cllr Cliff Morris. He said the tax was an attack on family life: “It’s great that so many people have turned up.”
The change in law will affect about 660,000 people nationally, including 3,500 in Bolton. Opponents say those affected will lose more than £2 million in total — an average of £12 per week per tenant.
Comments(13)
oftbewildered2
says...
11:55am Mon 18 Mar 13
aardwolf
says...
12:23pm Mon 18 Mar 13
bobbygrant
says...
12:37pm Mon 18 Mar 13
magic dragon wrote:Yasmin Qureshi was there, I saw her. The Bolton News reporter didn't mention it. Also please read this: http://www.thebolton
This tax does not affect me, but I am so pleased to see our Councillors and MP's openly saying this is an unfair cut. However why is Yasmin Qureshi always conspicuous by her non involvement with anything? Many Disabled people will be affected and it is time to come out and fight for your constituents. After all you are only in Parliament because you were voted there.
news.co.uk/news/1026
3482.MP_hits_out_at_
___bedroom_tax___/
Bit unfair to say she isn't involved in this and other issues.
mr.mark.c
says...
1:02pm Mon 18 Mar 13
Joe Public who has grafted all his life and was forced to stop work through no fault of his own has to cough up.
magic dragon
says...
1:19pm Mon 18 Mar 13
bobbygrant wrote:OK so you say she was there. I didn't see her, nor have I ever heard her comment on anything and as far as answering EMails from her constituents with genuine concerns, forget it. She doesn't even have the decency to do that. Thank you for the link, but as with everything connected with Yasmin Qureshi....IT DOESN'T WORK.
magic dragon wrote:Yasmin Qureshi was there, I saw her. The Bolton News reporter didn't mention it. Also please read this: http://www.thebolton
This tax does not affect me, but I am so pleased to see our Councillors and MP's openly saying this is an unfair cut. However why is Yasmin Qureshi always conspicuous by her non involvement with anything? Many Disabled people will be affected and it is time to come out and fight for your constituents. After all you are only in Parliament because you were voted there.
news.co.uk/news/1026
3482.MP_hits_out_at_
___bedroom_tax___/
Bit unfair to say she isn't involved in this and other issues.
Harry-Joe
says...
1:19pm Mon 18 Mar 13
So for instance if you have one child but are renting a three bedroom house then your benefit will only cover the cost for a 2 bedroom house and you have to pay the rest too make it up.
So is this bed room tax not just bring both social and private rented inline with each other? Is this not the case?
Either way the council need to start thinking about the long game. They have caused this problem by selling off council houses in the first place. Shuffling people about wont solve the problem and let face it, its going to take years to move all these people about and how can they be expected to pay the bedroom tax whilst they are waiting to be moved?
I do think its a waste of money moving people from specially adapted houses. The cost of Changing the house back and adapting a new one, just cant be worth it surely.
Should like a half a##ed plan as per usual.
tony000
says...
1:39pm Mon 18 Mar 13
tony000
says...
1:42pm Mon 18 Mar 13
sunfun
says...
5:14pm Mon 18 Mar 13
hoboh2o
says...
7:53pm Mon 18 Mar 13
bobbygrant wrote:Hospital? Council tax rise? Bin fiasco? The list is endless that Yasmin fails to get publicly involved in.
magic dragon wrote:Yasmin Qureshi was there, I saw her. The Bolton News reporter didn't mention it. Also please read this: http://www.thebolton
This tax does not affect me, but I am so pleased to see our Councillors and MP's openly saying this is an unfair cut. However why is Yasmin Qureshi always conspicuous by her non involvement with anything? Many Disabled people will be affected and it is time to come out and fight for your constituents. After all you are only in Parliament because you were voted there.
news.co.uk/news/1026
3482.MP_hits_out_at_
___bedroom_tax___/
Bit unfair to say she isn't involved in this and other issues.
Being elected in a very safe labour seat was not done for the people she represents but merely to get a "high flyer of an ethnic minority" in Parliament to fill labours promised quota's.
I like a lot of folk am very suspicious of outsiders representing people and areas they know now’t about.
magic dragon
says...
7:41am Tue 19 Mar 13
sunfun wrote:I think you need to check your facts. The disabled will be affected. That is why a lot of people are up in arms about this unfair tax. And yes the elderly will also be affected.
Lets face it, it was a non event, less than 100 people turned up, many were well heeled Labour and union activists and officials who as “Champaign Socialists” will not be affected and were shot down by there lies, dam lies and warped statistics. Facts, the elderly will not be affected; the disabled will not be affected, Families with children at university, or in the armed or over-seas civil service will not be affected. And this is a law framed by the last Labour government.
bigfoot49
says...
1:47pm Tue 19 Mar 13
magic dragon says...
11:17am Mon 18 Mar 13