Dundee City Council is planning to cushion some of the impact of the “bedroom tax” for its tenants.
From April, tenants of working age who claim housing benefit will lose some of it if they are under-occupying their home.
Those not using one bedroom will see their payments cut by 14%, while there will be a 25% drop for anyone who has two unused bedrooms.
More than 2,200 tenants in Dundee fall into the first category and 320 are in the second.
Next week councillors will be asked to approve changes to the housing allocation policy and bring in a housing incentive scheme to encourage people in larger properties who do not need the space to move to smaller ones.
Housing convener Jimmy Black said: “The wide-ranging changes to welfare benefits will have a major impact on many people, but the measures we are proposing are specifically designed to help those who are currently receiving housing benefit.
“Benefits are going to be cut for tenants who have more bedrooms than they need, so we want to make it easier for them to move to smaller properties by changing our allocations policy and by making it as straightforward as we can for people to downsize.”
The proposals include council help with packing and removal to a smaller house, disconnection and reconnection of kitchen appliances, provision of floor coverings, and advice and assistance for tenants on how to deal with a move.
Allocation policy could also be changed to award more points to households looking to downsize.
Tenants looking to move from a house under occupied by one bedroom will get 40 points, with those wanting to move from a home under occupied by two bedrooms or more will get 70 points.
The UK Government has said it needs to get the £23 billion annual cost of housing benefit under control and the new rules will make better use of local authority and housing association stock.
Critics have claimed it will penalise some of the poorest members of society.
grsmith@thecourier.co.uk