A Highland Perthshire councillor has voiced his support for the controversial bedroom tax and has accused others of “jumping on the political bandwagon” when criticising it.
Conservative councillor Ian Campbell who sits on Perth and Kinross Council’s housing and community care committee claimed that the welfare reform changes will aid the move to “better allocate” homes to people in need of additional rooms.
New housing benefit laws, which came into force on April 1, mean that social tenants deemed to have spare bedrooms will be given less money to cover their rent. Those with one “spare” room receive 14% less housing benefit.
The bedroom tax has been criticised by many, including Grant Ager, chief executive of Fairfield Housing Cooperative Ltd, who recently claimed it was not working.
However, Mr Campbell outlined his backing for the measure.
He said: “Once again we have various folks jumping on a political bandwagon without any actual explanation of the issues involved.
“Up until the welfare reform changes, those in receipt of housing benefit and living in council housing and housing association properties received housing benefit based not on their housing need, but on the number of bedrooms in the premises they occupied.
“If a single person was allocated a flat or house, say, with three bedrooms, they received housing benefit based on those bedrooms and not based on the number of rooms they required for sleeping.
“In other words, some single folks received the same amount of housing benefit as a family with children.”
He continued: “Meanwhile, we have families on our waiting list unable to get properties.
“These changes over time will help us better allocate our properties to those in need of additional rooms for growing families.”
Mr Campbell said this contrasts with those on housing benefit who choose to rent property in the private sector.
He added: “We have 2,250 people in Perth and Kinross renting in the private sector who get their housing benefit based on the number of rooms they need, not the number of rooms they want.”
He continued: “I have yet to hear the explanation why those in council housing should get more housing benefit than those renting in the private sector, or a higher level of benefit, solely because they live in council property.”
However, Mr Campbell said that he would support the view that Perth and Kinross Council should not evict people solely on the issue of non-payment of rent brought about by any housing benefit reductions.