Protest to voice fury at 'bedroom tax' rule (From Kidderminster Shuttle)
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Protest to voice fury at 'bedroom tax' rule
8:20am Friday 22nd March 2013 in News
By Cadisha Brown
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Action call: Brian Ryder, gearing up for the protest outside Kidderminster Town Hall.
A DISABLED man being “forced” out of his home by the Government’s so-called “bedroom tax” has organised a rally against the levy amid fears it will hit vulnerable residents hardest.
Brian Ryder, of Kidderminster, is opposed to the new Welfare Reform Act, in which unused bedrooms in social housing will be subject to an underoccupation charge from nextmonth.
The 44-year-old, who suffers with the bone disease, osteoporosis, has been told he has to leave his two-bedroom community housing flat of 15 years for a one-bedroom flat or pay an extra £60 a month for his spare room, which is sometimes used for his carer.
He wants residents to join his protest outside Kidderminster Town Hall on Saturday, March 30 ina bid to stop disabled people being affected by the changes.
Mr Ryder, of Horsefair, said he was not doing it for himself but to support more seriously ill residents, who needed their spare rooms to help with their condition.
“My main concern is for people who need their rooms, “ Mr Ryder told The Shuttle. “I think it’s disgraceful.
“The Government has back tracked and brought in little changes to the tax but it still doesn’t go far enough.”
Mr Ryder said he was sad about having to leave his flat as he had made it his own over the years but he could not afford the extra cash to stay.
He said the spare room had “come in handy” for when he needed his carer to stay over if he struggled to get out of bed due to his illness.
“I don’t want to move but I have to – it’s like I’m being forced,” said Mr Ryder. “I simply can’t afford to stay here.
“The problem is, it’s like the [Government] are dropping a nuclear bomb to kill five people and killing 5,000. They’re not thinking about the consequences it’s going to cause.”
He said there was also a lack of housing available for people being forced to move, adding he had bid for weeks for a one-bedroom flat but there were none available. He has now been offered a flat that is currently being built in the Horsefair.
Mr Ryder said the protest, which starts at 12.30pm, had received a lot of interest. “It looks like it’s going to be bigger than I ever thought it wouldbe,” he added.
Comments(14)
Red Flag Dan
says...
12:50pm Fri 22 Mar 13
From the Guardian to the Sun, everyone is warning the Conservative-led Government to change course and what many have yet to realise is that as well as being unfair this tax could end up driving up costs to the public purse.
If families are made homeless it is the local council who have to pick up the bill by putting them up in expensive bed-and-breakfast accommodation.
If they are forced out of their council or housing association homes and into privately rented homes the Government will have to pick up the bill in housing benefit which could cost more because of higher rent.
It is the policy of a man who listens only to a small group of his rich and powerful friends.
In just two weeks this bedroom tax will cause more misery and anger when its full impact is felt.
The bedroom tax is a symbol of what people hate about this government: it is incompetent, out of touch and unfair.
This policy is wrong. People can see it’s wrong. So let’s keep up the fight and not stop until this government drop this hated tax.
Bcfc1186
says...
1:07pm Fri 22 Mar 13
Red Flag Dan
says...
1:32pm Fri 22 Mar 13
Bcfc1186 wrote:Er...no, because the bedroom tax will actually cost the tax payer more and doesn't actually address the issue of under-occupancy.
yes, because the tax payer should pay for people to have spare bedrooms.....
SEWELL
says...
5:36pm Fri 22 Mar 13
As a result of this tax Mr Tudor (Recently featured in the Shuttle) will now have to be transported to hospital 3 times a week to be treated for his medical condition rather than self treat at home. And his crime? He fell ill.This will now have a fiancial impact on the NHS budget.
Dispite Mr Tudors condition he plays an active part in his community attending local action groups and even gets involved in litter picks from his motorised wheel chair.
This attack on the poor and sick is discusting whilst millionaires are soon to get a tax break.
Has the Government considered the impact this will have on our rural communities? People raised in villages like Stone, Rock and Chaddesley will be told to pay up or move.
I don't accept that this is an ill thought out policy, but a well planned attack on the vunerable. The nasty Conservative Party is back!
I hope as many decent people as possible will turn up and give this protest all of the support they can.
SEWELL
says...
5:36pm Fri 22 Mar 13
As a result of this tax Mr Tudor (Recently featured in the Shuttle) will now have to be transported to hospital 3 times a week to be treated for his medical condition rather than self treat at home. And his crime? He fell ill.This will now have a fiancial impact on the NHS budget.
Dispite Mr Tudors condition he plays an active part in his community attending local action groups and even gets involved in litter picks from his motorised wheel chair.
This attack on the poor and sick is discusting whilst millionaires are soon to get a tax break.
Has the Government considered the impact this will have on our rural communities? People raised in villages like Stone, Rock and Chaddesley will be told to pay up or move.
I don't accept that this is an ill thought out policy, but a well planned attack on the vunerable. The nasty Conservative Party is back!
I hope as many decent people as possible will turn up and give this protest all of the support they can.
Steph B
says...
6:14pm Fri 22 Mar 13
Areley
says...
9:20pm Fri 22 Mar 13
rg.uk/blog/who-wants
-to-evict-a-milliona
ire-saturday-13th-ap
ril
Stephen Brown
says...
10:41am Sat 23 Mar 13
A loud and clear message needs to go to the Government that they simply cannot expect to get away with tax cuts for the rich while attacking the income of the most vulnerable and poorest in our society.
Good luck!
Nigel Gilbert
says...
11:46am Sat 23 Mar 13
concerned47
says...
12:28pm Sun 24 Mar 13
We have to do all we can to fight inequality -I'll see you there on Saturday!
HowardM
says...
12:37pm Sun 24 Mar 13
The underlying, careing nature of our country is shown by the examples of the generosity of people towards "Children in Need" and "Comic Relief" and the many millions of pounds given every years to support charities helping the disadvantaged and needy both at home and overseas. There is nothing wrong with the state also helping and careing for those who need support and not expecting it all to come from the community.
The Welfare State from the 1940's to the 1980's was seen as one of the great social advancements of the Western world. Then Thatcher's Tory Government started to replace it with the "me" society and began to stigmatise anyone in social housing or claiming benefits as second class citizens. This much more extreme Tory Government is completing her unfinished work. The bedroom tax is just one piece in a distasteful jigsaw of damping down society to benefit the ruling classes. How long before this government reintroduces workhouses to accomodate the homeless and the food banks start serving gruel? The great reformers of the 19th and early 20th Centuries who lead the campaigns for social justice, freedom from poverty, proper education and health care free to all would be shuddering in disbelief watching this right wing and destructive goverment systematically destroying their progress.
mark.lawley
says...
4:27pm Sun 24 Mar 13
Jon D
says...
8:24pm Sun 24 Mar 13
Europeanist64 says...
12:35pm Fri 22 Mar 13
Tories will say that "We're all in this together, and we have to make cuts to reduce borrowing."
The truth is that we are borrowing to fund tax cuts for those earning over £150,000, borrowing to subsidise private schools and borrowing to pay an increased welfare bill because the government is creating more poor people.
Time for change, let UKIP destroy the Tories and lets have a real Labour government committed to decency and social justice this time. Thatcher and Major borrowed far more than Gordon Brown.
I I am lucky enough to have a well paid job and am a higher band taxpayer, I'm going to the town hall on Saturday to support Mr. Ryder because he should not have to subsidise tax cuts for richer people.