Highland MP accused of 'bedroom tax' u-turn over election fears
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THE SNP claims fears of a General Election wipe-out have forced MP Danny Alexander to ditch support for the so-called 'Bedroom Tax' policy.
The member for Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch has admitted the recent change to the way that housing benefit is paid to people in council and housing association properties are “not working as well as we had hoped”.
His calls for a change to the scheme have prompted claims he is being motivated by fear for his seat in the upcoming election.
Ken Gowans, Inverness South councillor, said it was a cynical turn-around.
“The question everyone has to ask themselves is why is there a sudden change of heart by Danny Alexander who has had the failing of the Bedroom Tax pointed out to him time and time again? But as we face a general election, suddenly he’s changing tack. This lacks credibility and I don’t think it will fool anyone.”
Mr Alexander dismissed this claim as “more nonsense from the SNP”.
He insisted the decision came after close scrutiny of the tax.
“We got the results of an evaluation on Tuesday, we have been looking at it and we feel it is right that we change it,” he said.
“We took action last year to make sure that the Highland Council had the money it needed in the short term for Housing Discretionary Payments. This is about a long term improvement to the policy. I have not at all changed my view that the amount of housing benefit should be based on the number of bedrooms somebody needs.”
More than £2 million was awarded to the council by the UK and Scottish governments to alleviate the effects of the hugely controversial welfare reform, which was introduced in April 2013. Two months earlier, Highland Council warned a shortage of smaller homes meant tenants would be unable to shift to avoid the tax.
The local authority only had 450 one-bedroom homes for rent in the previous year. Up to 3000 council and social housing tenants were asked to pay for the tax.
The Liberal Democrats now propose big changes.
They want new tenants in the social rented sector to receive housing benefit based on the number of rooms they need.
But those already in the social rented sector would only see a reduction in their housing benefit if they are offered a suitable smaller home and, crucially, turn it down.
They believe disabled adults should be treated in the same way as disabled children, by permanently exempting them. And new measures on social landlords would be introduced to manage their housing stock more effectively, so more people get put into the right home first time.
The Liberal Democrats will now make the case for these new fairer rules, seeking to get them in place during this Parliament.
Mary Scanlon, Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP, said it was “a knee-jerk reaction”.
“It makes a good sound-bite but in actual fact it’s not a wise move in terms of looking at families in overcrowded conditions or people living in homes larger than they need.
“What the Spare Room Subsidy has highlighted is how poorly managed social housing is. Many older people are still living in 3-bed houses and there are over 10,000 people on the waiting list in Highland, many of whom are families who are living in cramped conditions and are desperate for a larger house.”
