A protest was held in Cardiff on Saturday against the so-called ÔÇÿbedroom taxÔÇÖ which has affected almost two thousand households within the city.┬á The protestors started at Cardiff City Hall and made their way through town.
A couple of hundred protestors took to the streets to show their dismay at the continuation of the new housing benefit rules that have been in effect since the 1st of April this year; it was part of a nationwide event organised by the Anti-Bedroom Tax & Benefit Justice Federation that saw thousands of people marching through cities all across the country.
The march was supported by many local organisations that have either been or supported those subjected to the change to welfare made by the current government; however the change has been hugely unpopular.
Oli Bradley Hughes, a Cardiff University Student who was at the protest, said┬á ÔÇ£It feels that the poor are paying the price for the mistakes made by the rich, and this just shows how out of touch the Tory Government is. ÔÇ£
Some of those organisations involved were Shelter Cymru, Welsh Tenants, Church in Wales, Welsh Regions of National Union of Journalists and UNISON, a number of left-wing parties were also in attendance.
John Puzey, director of Shelter Cymru, said ÔÇ£Around 40,000 tenants in Wales will be affected, losing an average of ┬ú12 per week in housing benefit payments.ÔÇØ
ÔÇ£Some will lose up to ┬ú20 a week and letÔÇÖs not forget that these households, many of whom are working and on low incomes, are already struggling to make ends meet.ÔÇØ
The change to welfare, which is often called by the council as ÔÇÿunder-occupancy rulesÔÇÖ means that anyone who lives in a council or housing association property will have their housing benefit reduced if the property has an extra bedroom than the tenants need. The reduction of housing benefit will mean those renting will have to pay the difference themselves between their housing benefits and their rent.
The amount of housing benefit reduced depends on the size of the property, with 14% cut with one spare bedroom and 25% if the property has two spare bedrooms.
However, due to the current financial crisis, the Government are trying to find the best way to cut spending, meaning that supporting those in larger properties than needed is deemed no longer an option.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: ÔÇ£The removal of the spare room subsidy is a necessary reform to return fairness to housing benefit. The taxpayer can no longer afford to pay for people to live in properties larger than they need.ÔÇØ
The demand for council housing has increased over the last year however there are very few small properties for people to move into, this means that it is very hard for people to escape the ÔÇÿbedroom taxÔÇÖ ÔÇôcausing huge problems across UK. Many of those who can only be given large properties by the council or housing associations are having to result to homelessness, as it is financially impossible for them to pay the rent.
Due to the amount affected by the change to housing benefit rules the event on Saturday was the second protest held in Cardiff on the matter; the previous one being held in March, before the proposed reforms. Although as the ÔÇÿbedroom taxÔÇÖ is still in effect and causing damage to many peopleÔÇÖs lives, it was felt by many tenants and organisations necessary to organise another event so that they can defend those who possibly will find themselves evicted.
Jacob Cain
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