Bedroom tax threatens disabled Welsh child

This video from Wales says about itself:

Sue & Paul Rutherford Fighting the Bedroom Tax

Sue & Paul Rutherford are trying their hardest to care for their severely disabled grandchild Warren; but with the introduction of the cruel ‘bedroom tax‘, their future is uncertain.

Broadcast on Wed 30 Oct 2013, 11:00, BBC One.

By Paddy McGuffin in Britain:

Bedroom tax inflicted on disabled child

31 May 2014

Family of 14-year-old told to pay up because only adults get exemptions, but vow to keep fighting

THE disabled grandparents of a child who cannot walk, talk or feed himself vowed to fight on yesterday after a High Court ruling said they would have to pay the bedroom tax – as he isn’t old enough to be exempted.

Paul and Susan Rutherford, from Clunderwen, Pembrokeshire, are full-time carers to 14-year-old Warren, who suffers from Potocki-Shaffer Syndrome, which affects brain, bone and organ development.

The regulations, which have been branded unjust and draconian by opponents, force housing benefit recipients to pay extra for “spare” rooms in council housing.

An exemption is allowed if the claimant or their partner requires overnight care, but there is no provision for children.

The family live in a three-bedroom bungalow, adapted for Warren’s needs, with the Rutherfords in one room, Warren in another, and the third needed for carers staying overnight and to store equipment.

…

Child Poverty Action Group solicitor Mike Spencer, who represented the couple, said: “The Rutherfords are understandably very disappointed by today’s ruling.

“The court has at least indicated that the local council should help pay the shortfall in Warren’s rent, but ultimately families with severely disabled children should be entitled to the same exemption as disabled adults and not have to rely on uncertain discretionary payments.”Paul and Sue work round the clock to care for Warren and have the constant fear hanging over them that Warren might lose his home and have to go into care. They will be seeking to appeal.”

THE hated bedroom tax is keeping homeless people on the streets, Scottish housing workers said yesterday: here.

Woman worried about bedroom tax killed herself, coroner finds: here.

A CORONER found yesterday that a woman who was hit by a lorry after being charged the bedroom tax did commit suicide: here.

British Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a parliamentary defeat on Friday over the “bedroom tax”. The tax penalises those in receipt of housing benefit judged to have too much living space by making them pay for “spare” capacity, or forcing them to move to smaller accommodation: here.