A SENIOR Derby city councillor has branded the so-called bedroom tax "lacking in compassion" in a strongly-worded protest letter to the Work and Pensions Secretary.
The claim by Labour councillor Baggy Shanker came as he revealed nearly a quarter-of-a-million pounds in rent was estimated to be outstanding among 1,639 Derby Homes tenants affected by the "tax" and was "directly attributable to under-occupancy".
The Government introduced the bedroom tax in a bid to encourage people to downsize, ensuring the best use is made of social housing, and reducing the nation's housing benefit bill.
Under the changes, people lose 14% of their housing benefit per week for under-occupying by one room and 25% for having two or more spare bedrooms.
But Mr Shanker, cabinet member for housing and advice, said he was taking a stand against the move.
The Derby Telegraph has reported that people wanting to move to avoid being hit with the benefits penalty are finding there are no homes immediately available.
Earlier this month, there were 224 Derby Homes households on the waiting list to move to smaller homes but only 77 properties that would be available or soon would be.
In his letter to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Shanker said: "The introduction of the 'bedroom tax' demonstrates a remarkable lack of both foresight and compassion.
"As I'm sure you are aware, social housing is allocated based on various criteria. "Under-occupancy is often encouraged to accommodate growing families, single parent families and additional space for disabled households.
"This policy is unfairly penalising tenants who have been placed in their homes on good faith by their local authority."
Mr Shanker said it was estimated £230,000 in rent was owed since the changes were brought in on April 1.
He added: "I am calling on all political parties to abandon this failing policy. We should focus attention on building more affordable homes instead of pushing families into further debt."
Lena House, 32, has lived with her partner in a three-bedroom Allenton home for 11 years and recently joined the wait for a one-bedroomed property.
She is already in arrears – not helped by losing £24 a week from her housing benefit due to the under-occupancy charge.
She said: "Councils should be doing more to stand up to the Government over the bedroom tax. It's ridiculous that we are being charged for rooms when we've lived in properties for so many years. How do they expect us to move if there's nowhere to go?"
A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said the taxpayer could "no longer afford to cover the costs of spare bedrooms, especially when there are many thousands of people in Wales alone on housing waiting lists".
She added: "However, we have made £6,6m available to East Midlands councils, including Derby to support vulnerable people."
