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Rent AdviceAdactus is helping tenantsbeat the ‘bedroom tax’Adactus launches its RightSizescheme to help tenants whoare under-occupying and facehaving their housing benefitreduced next April.From April 2013, the government will reducehousing benefit to tenants who have morebedrooms than the new under-occupancyrules say they need.We estimate that around 2500 of ourtenants could see their housing benefitreduced as a result of these changes. Withso many tenants facing a reduction in theirbenefits Adactus has been working hard todevelop an action plan to help our underoccupiers.In March this year we carried out a surveywith our Adactus500 members to see howmuch our tenants knew about the newunder occupancy benefit rules. The resultsshowed the majority of our tenants wereunaware of the changes and unsure howthey would affect their benefits.To rectify this, under-occupiers will becontacted via sms, letter and email toinform them of the changes and will beoffered help and advice depending on theirindividual situation. Tenants who would liketo speak to someone in person can requesthome visits or book an appointment at theirlocal office.Any tenants who need to downsizewill receive help to find them a suitableproperty and will be fully supportedthrough the moving process.If you think you are going tobe affected by the new housingbenefit rules and would liketo discuss your optionsfurther you can contact ourOccupancy Officer Lisa Leatheron 0845 505 3355.Who will be affected?The new rules will affect all our working age tenants whocurrently receive full or part housing benefit payments andhave one or more spare bedrooms.Any tenant over the qualifying age for state pension will beexempt (In April 2013 this will be 61 years and 6 months).Tenants are also excluded if they live in one of our sharedownershipschemes or in one of our sheltered or supportedhousing schemesWhat is a ‘Spare’ Bedroom?Under new rules you will be allocated one bedroom for:• each adult couple• any other person aged 16 or over• two children of the same sex under the age of 16• two children under the age of 10 regardless of their sex• any other child• a carer (who does not normally live with you) if youor your partner need overnight care.What does this mean to under-occupiers?Your housing benefit will be reduced by:14% if you have one empty bedroom25% if you have two or more empty bedroomsFor ExampleMr and Mrs Smith aged 46 & 52 live in a two-bedroom house.Their rent is £80 per week and they currently getfull housing benefit. Under the new rules they will haveone spare bedroom so their benefit will be reduced by£11.20 (14%) to £68.80. They would need to pay this extra£11.20 per week towards their rent.For further information on the new under-occupancy rules please see our website.16 | inhouse