Bedroom tax ‘discriminatory’, judges rule

A legal challenge to the UK Government’s policy of reducing housing benefit for social tenants with a ‘spare room’ has been upheld by Court of Appeal judges.

The so-called bedroom tax has meant families deemed by their local authorities to have too many bedrooms receive reduced welfare payments.

The policy, criticised by poverty campaigners for targeting the most vulnerable, is “discriminatory” agreed the three Court of Appeal of England and Wales judges.

The decision followed a hearing of the legal challenge by a domestic violence victim and the family of a disabled teenager in November. They argue special circumstances for vulnerable people require an extra room.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has said it will appeal against the ruling.

A report on the policy by the DWP itself, published in December, found 78 per cent of those affected had run out of money by the end of the month, contributing to fuel and food poverty.