Fife tenants whose children have flown the nest could soon be forced to give up family homes they have lived in for years, says a local councillor.
Changes to the welfare system come into force in the spring and will see housing benefit slashed by up to 25% as part of the UK-wide Welfare Reform Act.
Calling for more information about the changes dubbed ‘the bedroom tax’ Cupar councillor Karen Marjoram told The Courier many of her constituents are worried and unsure about their situation.
She said: “One woman who has contacted me who is disabled and lives in a three-bedroom house.
“Her children have all left home and she is now concerned that because she has two spare bedrooms, her rent allowance will shrink by 25% and she won’t be able to afford to stay in her own home.
“Because she is under 60 she doesn’t qualify for sheltered housing, so she can’t go down that road. She wants to move into a one-bedroom flat but there are a limited amount available.
“She is caught between a rock and a hard place and doesn’t know how she is going to manage.”
Mrs Marjoram said many Fifers were in similar predicaments.
“People are very worried about how it’s going to affect them, It would be helpful if more information was made available for individuals sooner. It is also going to affect the council and housing association waiting lists.
“People want to downsize but we don’t have a lot of small houses.”
Under the reform, working-age tenants renting from a local authority, housing association or social landlord who receive housing support will lose 14% of their housing benefit if they have one spare bedroom and will lose 25% of benefit if they have two or more spare bedrooms.
A spokesman for the government’s Department for Work and Pensions said local authorities were working with claimants now to identify those who may be affected by the change.
He said: “It’s right that tenants in social housing who are living in homes that are larger than their needs make a contribution towards their rent or move to more appropriately sized accommodation and this is exactly what people renting in the private sector do.
“We do not expect many people to have to move as a result of these changes and local authorities can access £190 million to help families, as well as £30m a year specifically to support disabled people with an adapted property and foster carers.”
Fife Council’s team leader for accounts and debts, Gavin Smith, said the local authority will be supporting those affected and providing information on options.
Information had already been issued online and through the tenants’ newsletter, he said and individuals will be contacted in the coming days and weeks.
He said: “It would unreasonable to suggest that this issue could addressed by people downsizing. The profile of stock we have in Fife is not going to meet the demand that might well exist, particularly for one-bedroom properties.
“We will be writing to everyone who will be affected and telling them the extent to which they will be affected in the next couple of days. Case workers are also planning visits which will take place over the next week or so.
“We want to make sure all our tenants have information about all their options and help them make the right decision for them.”