I have just taken a call from a resident about the bedroom tax.
She lives with her two young children in a three bedroom property and is now being asked to pay extra for the third room. But apparently she's "entitled" to the additional room because her 6 year-old is "hyper-active" and keeps the 5 year-old awake by shouting and screaming into the night. Apparently it's 'not fair'.
I asked her if she thought it was fair that my assistant, who is 25 years old and works full time, should be asked to pay additional tax to subsidise her unruly child having a bedroom of his own, when he still lives at home with his parents. And whether she thought it was fair that he cannot possible afford the deposit on a one-bedroom flat, let alone a three bedroom house.
I suspect she won't be voting Conservative.
I assume this would be legitimate if the children were one boy, one girl?
ReplyDeleteAnd your assistant will also presumably be paying his parents for his upkeep? I left my council house home at 19 and lived in rented accomodation for years, even on very low pay in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge. It can be done. Once he moves out presumably his parents will also be charged for his 'spare' room, or have to let it out again.
You seem to have missed the point that the assistant's parents aren't relying on the tax payer to pay for their house, and if they are then absolutely they should be being charged for the 'spare' room even if he is living there. It certainly is possible for him to be renting a room in a shared house.
DeleteNo-one minds helping out people who are seriously in need but the woman in the post sounds like the worst kind - not even grateful for the support she gets but has the entitlement attitude that causes so much friction between those who work hard to keep their heads above and those who rely on the state.
Spot on Anonymous! The fact is, Jon (my assistant) like most of his age group, simply cannot afford a deposit on a small flat, yet is paying higher tax than he should pay due, in part, to the welfare bill, which subsidises this constituent (who was the same age as Jon) to live in a three bedroom house. We must challenge this welfare culture, not just on grounds of cost but also to address the dreadful injustice and sense of entitlement.
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