‘Bedroom Tax’ help

Nearly 7,000 Scots households have claimed emergency housing help during December 2013, figures published today show.

Housing help for people on benefits – known as Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) – is reserved to Westminster and administered by Local Authorities in Scotland.

During the nine month period covered by the report, £18.6 million was awarded – including £3.2 million in December - to around 53,000 Scottish households. During the whole of 2012/13 around £4 million was awarded.

The Scottish Government contributed an extra £20 million to the DHP fund in 2013/14 – the maximum permitted under UK legislation - to help people with the costs of the ‘Bedroom Tax’. This brings the current funding amount to over £36 million.

Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess said:

“We have already topped up Discretionary Housing Payments to the maximum amount that Westminster legislation allows to help people struggling with the Bedroom Tax.

“But we know that this is not enough to help everyone.

“We know that demand for housing help is increasing. An additional 7,000 households needed help during December when compared to our figures for November. In 2012/13 only £4 million was allocated for DHPs – these figures show that Local Authorities have awarded over £14 million more than this in just nine months, including £3.2 million during December alone.

“These figures show the impact the Bedroom Tax is having in Scotland. We can work to mitigate its effects but the only way to scrap it for good is through the powers of an independent Scottish Parliament.

“We have the choice of two futures – one where Scotland continues to pay the price of Westminster’s welfare reforms, and one where we have control to set up a welfare system that suits our needs.”