Plaid commits to a “no Bedroom Tax evictions” policy

Plaid Cymru has consistently opposed the bedroom tax which targets the poorest and most vulnerable families since well before its introduction.

The party has uncovered damning evidence about the insidious effects of the bedroom tax, such as the substantial rise in households forced to claim Discretionary Housing Payments as a direct result of the tax. Figures suggest that covering families’ shortfall in rent caused by bedroom tax, along with the additional money allocated for Discretionary Housing Payments, would be more economical than evicting and re-housing families from social housing.

Local Plaid Cymru AM for Ceredigion, Elin Jones, said,

“The bedroom tax is a cruel policy that has been widely discredited. It was criticised by United Nations inspectors as being inhumane, and in areas such as Ceredigion there simply isn’t the supply of smaller properties for tenants to avoid losing benefit for having a ‘spare bedroom’. The National Housing Federation estimates that over 600 people are adversely-affected by the tax in Ceredigion. While we have opposed it on every opportunity in Westminster, Plaid Cymru wants to minimise its impact on local people and so we are committing to a no eviction policy so that no one in Wales is made homeless.

“We can save thousands of families from the heartbreak of losing their homes by shifting our focus away from paying for the eviction and relocation of families, and instead prioritising efforts to help families meet the shortfall.”

The Party of Wales Shadow Housing Minister Jocelyn Davies said:

“It costs money to evict and rehouse families from social housing, so it’s perfectly possible to take another route - just as the SNP has in Scotland.

“Despite all indicators pointing to a crisis by Christmas, the Welsh Government has failed to take any action to protect the people of Wales from this cynical policy.

“Plaid Cymru’s proposals will protect families from the despair and grief that the bedroom tax has caused.”