ConDems class hatred of the poor continues…..

 

Before Xmas, DWP released the following press release regarding the  hideous “under occupancy” cap aka “bedroom tax”. As opposed to rolling it out nationally in April, the cap will be applied from April 2013 in 4 London local authorities – Bromley, Croydon, Enfield and Haringey. 

‘Choosing these four local authorities means that we can provide support from a single DWP Benefit Centre at Stratford. The majority of claimants in the four boroughs have their out of work benefit claims processed by Stratford Benefit Centre, which as you may be aware is the only London based Benefit Centre. That is an important factor in delivering this change safely as it allows us to focus all of our efforts on making sure that the delivery of this change works as intended for local authorities, DWP and households.’

Furthermore

‘For all other local authorities across the country, including yours, we will move from implementation in the first four local authority areas to national roll out over the summer and as such all households identified as being appropriate to be capped will, in line with existing plans, have been capped by the end of September 2013. A decision on the precise date at which national roll out will commence will be made in the New Year.’

 They apparently chose these as they are cross section of urban areas (Bromley being my old stomping ground!). ConDems originally wanted to roll this nationally in April but instead they selected just 4 LAs. What was first created by New Labour, changes to welfare reform are commonly trialled in Pathfinder areas. It could be that the ConDems are less confident in believing this will go smoothly. The “bedroom tax”, according to the mean spirited ideology of the ConDems,  is unfair on “hard working families” that people on benefits have spare rooms. Perish the thought! ConDems are attacking working class living standards and indulging in divide and rule.

This is the reality of the “bedroom tax” and how it will be enforced.

The amount of rent used to calculate how much housing benefit you’re entitled to will be cut by a fixed percentage:

• 14% of the ‘eligible rent’ (the full rent amount) if you have one extra bedroom
• 25% if you have two or more extra bedrooms.

To be on Housing Benefit you are already poor and not in the position to pay the shortfall. You will have a shortfall in rent and Council tax therefore will generate arrears and inevitable homelessness. One reason, is possibly to break up council estates who primarily Labour voters. In Bristol, for example, the area that will be greatly affected by this will be Knowle West because it has a high concentration of social housing.

The long term plan of the ConDems is to smash up the welfare state and to smash the working class. Along with creating desperation, alienation and despair, to shatter confidence and fightback. With the precariousness of austerity, losing your job, accessing medical care, housing, benefits and so on will be so much harder coupled with the fact people will fear the poor and fear the fact it will be so easy to fall into that trap. Doubtlessly mental distress will increase, people will mentally collapse from within. Easier to internalise than to fightback. ConDems blame, vilify and witch hunt the poor, blaming them constantly for the woes in this society and unfortunately it has been successful (see stats regards to increase in hate crimes towards disabled people).

2013… let’s hope it’s the start of the end for the ConDems…