The No2BedroomTax campaign is a tenant led, grassroots campaign against the 'bedroom tax' and other welfare reforms.
Alan Wyllie is one of the founding members of the No2BedroomTax Campaign and is now Spokeperson for the campaign.(4)
Shelter Scotland has previously called for the Scottish Government to make up to £50million (5) available this year to protect social landlords from bankruptcy. This petition reiterates Shelter Scotland demands.
By providing this finance the Scottish Government will be protecting social landlords from the threat of bankruptcy while ensuring that those who are eligible to pay the Under-Occupancy penalty will not have to face the prospect of insurmountable debt and evictions.
The bedroom tax will affect over 105,000 households in Scotland(1), of which 79% will have a disabled person in their household.(2)
The bedroom tax can not be successful as there are not enough one bedroom accomodation in the social sector. This has resulted in people who want to move but can't move.(3)
The financial burden on the bedroom tax will be bared by the most vulnerable in our society, those who are on low incomes, Local Authorities and Housing Associations.
The SNP, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Greens have all publicly stated that they are against the bedroom tax and accept that the ramifications of the bedroom tax will have a devastating effect on vulnerable and low paid Scots.
We hope that the Scottish Parliament will realise the tangible fears that vulnerable people feel regarding the ‘bedroom tax’ and make funding available to eradicate all the effects of the ‘bedroom tax’ in Scotland.
(1)http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/scottish-affairs-committee/news/tor-bedroom-tax/
(2)http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmscotaf/writev/bedroom/bt08.htm
(3) UK Government Impact Statement. Behavioural Change, point 37. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/138017/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf.pdf
(4) www.no2bedroomtax.com
(5) http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/media/press_releases/press_release_folder/2013/housing_minister_urged_to_set_aside_50_million_to_protect_social_tenants_from_the_bedroom_tax