GLC publish Updated Bedroom Tax Toolkit

Govan Law Centre's successful and popular Bedroom Tax Toolkit has now been updated to take on board recent successful First Tier Tribunal decisions in Scotland and England, and to explain how tenants who may be unable to pursue late appeals can nevertheless challenge bedroom tax decisions by way of supersession.

The GLC Bedroom Tax Toolkit was first launched on 6 April 2013 and has since been downloaded many thousands of times across the UK, and been used by many advice agencies and campaign groups across the country in Scotland, England, and Wales. You can download a free updated version of GLC's Bedroom Tax Toolkit in PDF format here.  The Bedroom Tax Toolkit is part of GLC's wider public and parliamentary campaign to prevent evictions and human misery from the bedroom tax.

GLC publish Updated Bedroom Tax Toolkit

Glasgow family beat the bedroom tax with Govan Law Centre's bedroom tax toolkit

Here GLC Prevention of Homelessness Project (POHP) caseworker, Garry Burns, gives an update on one local family who have used Govan Law Centre's (GLC) bedroom tax toolkit and successfully challenged the bedroom tax.

"The family used GLC's toolkit and sent a dispute form into the local authority advising that due to a disability within the family they required an overnight carer. The local authority started asking questions about who the carer was looking for the address of the carer who provided the overnight care.

The family actually didn't have one person who provided care because like most families they support one another and there are several family members who lend a hand. We supported the family in how best to deal with this issue and aided them in writing a letter back to the local authority advising of their own personal circumstances.

Within a week the local authority responded to our client advising that they would now be exempt from the bedroom tax. Govan Law Centre were able to give the family advice and support throughout all of this and give advice on a number of legalities pertaining to benefits, not just the bedroom tax to take away some of the stress in dealing with their local authority. We continue to support our clients every day; the bedroom tax is just one issue that we are currently supporting our community with.

When we need to take a case on we do, but when a client is only in need of a bit of support to challenge decisions themselves, we empower our clients with the tools to fight back and obtain their legal rights. We are proud that we have supported this family in challenging their local authority and would say that this is a fantastic bit of news for the individuals involved, but crucially it shows what can be done when you challenge decisions".

Glasgow family beat the bedroom tax with Govan Law Centre's bedroom tax toolkit