A Community and Adult Scrutiny Committee inquiry into the impact of the under occupancy charge, part of the UK Government’s Welfare Reform agenda, has found that Cardiff Council was well-prepared for the changes and good work is being done to assist those affected.
The committee has carried out the second of its inquiries into Welfare Reform, this time focussing on the impact of the charge more commonly known as ‘bedroom tax’, to ensure plans are in place to help tenants and mitigate the impact of the changes.
A wide range of witnesses gave their views to inform the inquiry including tenant representatives, Cardiff Against the Bedroom Tax, housing associations and the Cardiff and Vale Citizen Advice Bureau as well as council officers and Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Neighbourhood Renewal, Cllr Lynda Thorne.
The inquiry found that Cardiff’s approach has been welcomed by partners and recognised as best practice by the Welsh Government and UK Cabinet Office with schemes in place to maximise support to affected tenants, such as a Rent Rescue Scheme, and schemes to help tenants to downsize and help with moving costs.
Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Neighbourhood Renewal, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said:
“The Council has taken a very proactive approach to the changes caused by the UK Government’s Welfare Reform. We identified those people in the city who would be affected and tried to help them as much as we can. We have engaged with those tenants who have been willing to engage with us. “
Chair of the Community and Adult Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Daniel De’Ath, said: “We were interested to understand the detail behind the headlines regarding the ‘bedroom tax’ and keen to ensure that the council was helping people affected in any way it could.
“Our findings show that the charge is causing hardship and severe difficulties for some people in the city and the likelihood is that this negative impact will continue for some time into the future. But I am also really pleased about the vast amount of work that is going into helping people, especially those who are willing to help themselves.
“Two thirds of those affected in the city are disabled and so several of our recommendations aim to improve assistance to these tenants while the importance of community-based internet access cannot be underestimated as the Welfare Reform agenda moves forward and Universal Credit is rolled out.”
The committee’s recommendations, which form the basis of a report to be considered by Cabinet on Friday February 21, include tasking officers with maintaining the current approach to engaging with council tenants and not evicting a council tenant who is engaging with the Council and genuinely seeking to resolve their situation; to explore all opportunities to ensure that, wherever appropriate, all eligible disabled people receive Disabled Band Relief and to develop effective means of publicising community-based internet access points across Cardiff.
