Scots face postcode eviction lottery from Scottish Government approach; 150,000 Scots denied protection from bedroom tax evictions

Scotland's Housing Minister has written to the Scottish Parliament's Petitions Committee rejecting GLC's call for legislation to prevent bedroom tax evictions in Scotland, and instead has suggested the approach of Dundee City Council (DCC) is to be preferred.

The temporary one year approach of DCC involves not evicting council tenants for bedroom tax arrears 'where the Director of Housing is satisfied that affected tenants are doing all they can be reasonably expected to in order to avoid falling into arrears'.

GLC believes DCC's approach is a step in the right direction - albiet we prefer an independent and impartial court based solution  - but remain puzzled as to how the Scottish Government can on the one hand support DCC's approach to no evictions for bedroom tax arrears, yet fail to ensure that all tenants of social landlords enjoy the same approach in Scotland? 

Only a handful of Scotland's councils have agreed to the approach embraced by the Housing Minister, which means there are approximately 150,000 Scots who reside in tenancies in the social rented sector exposed to a postcode eviction lottery from the bedroom tax. Many of these Scots are particulary vulnerable through disabilities, physical or mental ill-health, or financial exclusion.

None of the half a million or so Scots who reside in housing association properties are being offered any protection against bedroom tax eviction from the Scottish Government DCC approach, nor are the vast majority of council tenants in Scotland offered any hope - despite the fact, the Scottish Government could easily legislate to provide the same protection for all Scots in the social rented sector, which the Housing Minister believes is right and proper for a handful of council tenants to currently enjoy.

GLC believes that the Scottish Government has a responsibility to ensure that all tenants of social landlords in Scotland enjoy the same equality of protection against eviction for bedroom tax arrears; and that at the very least, the Scottish Ministers should use their powers to ensure all such tenants have the same equality of protection which the Housing Minister's supports in her letter to the Petitions Committee.

Scots face postcode eviction lottery from Scottish Government approach; 150,000 Scots denied protection from bedroom tax evictions

Oxfam Scotland backs 'No evictions for bedroom tax' campaign in Scotland

Oxfam Scotland is backing a change in the law that will help tenants affected by the controversial cuts to housing benefit stay in their homes in Scotland. The charity, which works with partners in Scotland to fight poverty and create sustainable livelihoods, is supporting a petition to the Scottish Parliament by Govan Law Centre (GLC), calling for an amendment to existing housing law.

The amendment will mean that rent arrears caused by the so-called 'Bedroom Tax' can't be used as grounds for eviction by social landlords like councils or housing associations. Government changes to housing benefit mean that, from April, people who are judged to have a 'spare room' will face a massive 14% cut in the support they get to keep a roof over their heads. Those with two 'spare rooms' will face a 25% cut.

Judith Robertson, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: "Last year our Humankind Index for Scotland found that an affordable, decent and safe home is the top priority for Scots across the country. But housing benefit cuts will put thousands of people at risk of losing their homes. People on low incomes are already struggling.

"We recognise that social landlords are being placed in a difficult situation by these housing benefit cuts, but our priority surely has to be to keep families in their homes. The change in the law proposed by Govan Law Centre will help make sure that happens.

"We hope MSPs will support the petition, and we hope the UK Government realises the enormous damage these cuts will have on people."
 
 GLC's Principal Solicitor, Mike Dailly, said: "We are delighted that a leading global anti-poverty charity has decided to back our 'No Evictions for Bedroom Tax' petition in the Scottish Parliament.

"Oxfam's support for our Scottish campaign underlines the seriousness of the situation, with the prospect of tens of thousands of low income households in Scotland being threatened with homelessness unless they can find extra money for rent, and many families being pushed into destitution and poverty.

"We believe the Scottish Parliament has devolved powers which could be used to significantly mitigate the adverse impact of these changes to housing benefit, and hope that MSPs will join civic Scotland in supporting our No Evictions campaign".

Oxfam Scotland backs 'No evictions for bedroom tax' campaign in Scotland

Money Advice Scotland back 'No evictions for bedroom tax'in Scotland' campaign

GLC is delighted to announce that Money Advice Scotland has agreed to back the 'No evictions for bedroom tax in Scotland' petition and campaign. The petition to the Scottish Parliament now has 1,066 signatures since going live at the weekend, and is growing every day. You can sign the petition here.

Money Advice Scotland (MAS) is the national umbrella organisation in Scotland which promotes the development of free, independent, impartial, confidential money (debt) advice and financial inclusion. 

MAS serves a membership of over 200 members organisations and individuals drawn from local authorities, CABx, and other voluntary projects, who all provide money advice. Other members who are supportive of our objectives include Insolvency Practitioners, creditor and debt collection organisations.

GLC believes that the bedroom tax is the new poll tax in Scotland, and that bedroom tax arrears of rent should be treated as an ordinary debt in Scots law, so that tenants do not have to suffer the pain, suffering and indignity of bring evicted from their home because of the bedroom tax.

Money Advice Scotland back 'No evictions for bedroom tax'in Scotland' campaign

GLC calls for action on 'Bedroom tax' from Holyrood

The Scottish Parliament has been asked to change the law to prevent tenants being evicted because of changes to housing benefit. Speaking on BBC 1's Sunday Politics Scotland show, Mike Dailly of the Govan Law Centre said that people could be homeless because of the UK government reforms.  He said Holyrood should act to minimise the consequences of the change.

But, talking on the same programme, SNP MSP Linda Fabiani claimed little could be done until the Scottish parliament has more powers. The changes to housing benefit are intended to encourage mobility by discouraging tenants from staying in homes deemed too large for their needs. Mr Dailly said: "This is the new poll tax in Scotland. It's a vicious attack on the low paid and poor." 

The law on benefits is a reserved matter, controlled by the UK parliament at Westminster, but Mr Dailly said Holyrood could change the law in areas that it does control. "The Scottish government can do a lot to prevent people from being evicted. We are calling on is for the Scottish Government to change housing law so that if you incur 'bedroom tax' arrears that should be treated as an ordinary debt but not allow you to be evicted," he suggested.
 

You can sign GLC's Scottish Parliament petition for 'No eviction for bedroom tax' here. Almost 500 people have signed the petition within 48 hours of the petition going live on the Parliament website. The Sunday Politics Scotland show is available on the iPlayer here (41 mins in). Read more on this story from the BBC. 

GLC calls for action on 'Bedroom tax' from Holyrood