New figures released by the UK Government have revealed that West Dunbartonshire is the area of the UK worst affected by the Tories’ Bedroom Tax.
In a response to a parliamentary question to the UK Work & Pensions Secretary, it was revealed that the constituency with the largest total weekly amount deducted from housing benefit claimants as a result of the removal of the “spare room subsidy” is West Dunbartonshire.
The latest figures from the DWP show that West Dunbartonshire residents pay more than any other part of the UK, with £35,700 per week taken from benefit claimants locally – totalling over £1.8 million annually.
Martin Docherty-Hughes, MP for West Dunbartonshire, has slammed the UK government for its damaging bedroom tax policy which costs Scottish households tens of millions of pounds each year.
The SNP Scottish Government ensures no one in Scotland has to pay the Bedroom Tax; providing funding to mitigate the tax and protect over 70,000 low-income families from being pushed further into poverty.
Martin Docherty-Hughes MP said:
“These new figures reveal that low-income and vulnerable residents in West Dunbartonshire pay more towards the Tories’ damaging Bedroom Tax than any other part of the UK.
“The Tory UK Government is taking £1.8 million per year alone from housing benefit claimants in West Dunbartonshire – with millions of pounds more being squeezed from hard-pressed households across Scotland.
“Thanks to the SNP nobody in Scotland has to pay the bedroom tax; providing a lifeline for people in West Dunbartonshire and across Scotland who are struggling to make ends meet.
“But the Scottish Government is forced to spend £47 million per year to mitigate the bedroom tax as a result of this punitive UK government policy – costing Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds which could be put to better use tackling the root causes of poverty in our communities.
“That is why the SNP will use new powers coming to Holyrood to abolish the unfair bedroom tax in Scotland for good. We will continue to fight these damaging Tory cuts and work to create a Scottish social security system based on dignity, fairness and respect.”
ENDS
NOTES:
1) The parliamentary question and answer is available here:http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-09-04/7865/