The Party of Wales Arfon Standing up for the people of Arfon

Local Authorities forced to pay Bedroom Tax on behalf of victims.

Plaid Cymru MP, Hywel Williams, has attacked the Tories for forcing local authorities to bail-out the UK Government over its ‘heinous’ Bedroom Tax policy.

The Arfon MP called for the Government to scrap the charge, which is a deduction to housing benefit payments to those who live in a council house or a housing association property and have what is classified as a ‘spare bedroom’.

Speaking during an urgent question in the House of Commons, Mr Williams argued that local authorities are being forced to use Discretionary Housing Payments to help those affected by the Bedroom Tax, effectively protecting the UK Government from the consequences of its own folly.

Commenting, Plaid Cymru’s Work & Pensions spokesperson, Hywel Williams MP, said:

“The Courts have ruled that the UK Government’s heinous Bedroom Tax is discriminatory, as Plaid Cymru has repeatedly argued from the beginning.

“The pain and suffering inflicted upon those who are affected by the Bedroom Tax is unacceptable, which is why Plaid Cymru councils are doing all they can to protect victims. However, it cannot be right that local authorities are being forced to pay for the UK Government’s failures.

“Gwynedd Council has used Discretionary Housing Payments to help around 1000 out of the 1400 people affected by the Bedroom tax, effectively protecting the UK Government from the consequences of its own folly.

“Local authorities are desperately short of funding as it is, so forcing them to bail-out the UK Government over its grave policy failures is unacceptable and it cannot continue.”